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Columbia  (Mnitier^ftp 

intlifCitpoflrtngdrk 


LIBRARY 


School  of  Business 


I 


Making  Advertising  Pay 


BY 


MANNING  J.  RUBIN 


New  York 

The  Hannis  Jordan  Company 

Publishers 


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Copyright,  1913 
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List  of  Chapters 


Introduction 5" 

What  Advertising  Is 7'^^ 

Examples  of  Real  Advertising "-i? 

Self-Preservation— The    First    Law    in 

Advertising   ^^'^^ 

The  Appeal  ^^'^7 

How  to  Write  the  Advertisement 28-35 

Miscellaneous  Advertising 3^40 

Catalogues,  Booklets,  House  Organs. . . .  41-47 
Magazines  and  Newspaper  Advertising.  48-59 

Circulars  and  Letters 60-69 

Press  Work  70-75 

"Hints"    7^7^ 

The  Market  for  Advertising 79-89 


Introduction. 


This  book  is  intended  to  be  of  help  to 
all  persons  interested  in  advertisement 
writing— the  merchant,  the  advertismg 
manager,  and  those  who  wish  to  engage 
in  advertising  independently.  For  the 
latter  class  the  last  chapter  is  intended, 
and  the  other  chapters  for  all  interested 

in  af'vertising. 

This  book  is  an  exposition  of  the  law 
and  philosophy  which  underhe  most 
successful  advertising  —  whether  the 
laws  are  applied  consciously  or  uncon- 
sciously. 

In  defining  these  laws,  the  writer  is 
placing  before  the  reader  his  analysis 
and  conclusions  regarding  ancient  and 
modern  advertising,  and  in  many  re- 
spects the  principles  herein  discussed 
are  proclaimed  and  used  by  practically 
all  students  of  advertising. 

Advertising  is  so  complex  and  varied, 
that  perhaps  the  only  general  dogma  ac- 
cepted   concerning    it    is    Truth,    and 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


Truth  may  be  presented  in  many  ways. 
The  fundamental  law,  to  which  the  en- 
tire third  chapter  is  devoted,  is  the  one 
law  governing  all  expenditures  of 
money,  and  from  that  law  springs  all 
the  philosophy  of  advertising. 


CHAPTER  I. 


What  Advertising  Is. 

LIKE  love  and  poetry,  and  many 
other  things,  advertising  has  been 
subjected  to  more  than  one  definition, 
and  one  definition  is  hardly  sufficient  to 
explain  it.  In  its  modern  commercial 
sense,  however,  advertising  is  that  form 
of  publicity,  argument,  and  appeal  used 
to  sell  something,  directly  or  indirectly, 
whether  that  something  be  a  food  prod- 
uct, a  suit  of  clothes,  a  household  uten- 
sil, service,  education,  an  instrument  of 
pleasure,  in  short,  anything  for  which 
people  will  spend  money. 

Real  advertising  does  not  confine 
itself  to  business.  Nearly  all  human  in- 
stitutions use  it  and  are  aflfected  by  it, 
and  it  has  been  so  for  innumerable  cen- 
turies, though  only  within  recent  years 
has  the  science  of  advertising  become 
anything  Hke  a  science.  It  is  not  hap- 
hazard now,  nor  careless  as  it  has  been. 
-All  good  advertising  you  see  is  carefully 
planned  out  before  it  is  made  public,  and 
its  intended  effect  is  scientifically  antici- 
pated.     Certain    results    aforethought 


8 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


are  expected  from  the  medium  of  the 
advertisement,  from  the  arrangement, 
from  the  v^riting,  and  from  the  appeal. 
You  may  go  to  the  Bible  and  to  his- 
tory, and  you  v^ill  find  what  a  tremen- 
dous effect  advertising  has  had  on  all 
worldly  affairs — in  love,  war,  conquest, 
government,    religion    and    commerce. 
The  next  chapter  will  be  devoted  to  an 
exposition  of  this  fact.    The  lover  with 
his  pleas,  praise,  and  acts;  the  politician 
with   his   oratory,   logic,   passion,   and 
promise ;  the  lawyer  with  his  arguments, 
his  reasoning  and  appeals;  the  religious 
leader    with    his    theories,    expositions, 
logic,   and   promises   of  the   particular 
faith,  and  all  others  who  wish  particu- 
lar attention  directed  to  themselves  or 
to  their  concerns  resort,  consciously  or 
unconsciously,  to  some  form  of  adver- 
tising. 

Modern  advertising  is  mostly  the  re- 
sult of  the  straining  commercial^  coni- 
petition.  Every  field  is  beset  with  ri- 
vals, and  he  who  would  win  must  adver- 
tise. This  is  hardly  a  supposition  now. 
Merchants  who  have  thought  otherwise 
are  now  peacefully  resting  in  the  graves 
of  commerce,  and  perhaps  more  than 
one  rating  has  been  cut  by  Dun's  and 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


Bradstreefs  because  the  business  weak- 
ened through  lack  of  proper  seUing 
methods,  advertising  included. 

People,  corporations,  specialists,  poli- 
ticians, churches,  societies,  cities,  coun- 
ties, states,  and  schools  and  colleges  all 
resort  to  advertising.     Many  cities  to- 
day owe  much  of  their  prosperity  and 
fame  to  proper  publicity.    The  average 
voter  would  smile  derisively  if  told  to 
what  an  extent  advertising  influenced 
his  vote  in  the  last  election.    More  than 
one  candidate  has  been  swept  into  office 
because  his  campaign  managers  have 
conducted  successful  advertising  cam- 
paigns.   If  there  are  ten  rival  concerns, 
the  one  doing  the  best  advertising  will 
get  ahead  of  the  others,  everything  else 

being  equal. 

Advertising  has  already  proven  its 
desirability.  It  is  to  the  pubUc  what  the 
dictionary  is  to  the  writer.  It  enables 
a  person  to  get  the  right  thing — no  mat- 
ter what  it  is.  If  a  person  wishes  to 
get  an  automobile,  for  instance,  he  may, 
by  reading  over  the  advertisements  in 
magazines,  determine  just  which  one  he 
wants,  according  to  price,  quality,  and 
utiHty.  Or,  if  he  wishes  to  send  his 
child  to  an  educational  institution,  he 


10 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY ^ 


can  choose  the  kind  he  wants  by  perus- 
ing the  advertisements  in  magazines 
and  new^spapers. 

Advertising  is  responsible  to  a  great 
extent  for  the  high  and  sanitary  stand- 
ard of  living  nowadays.  It  has  edu- 
cated us  into  a  knowledge  of  many 
things;  it  has  taught  us  into  knowing 
the  Genuine  Article,  in  any  shape  or 
form.  It  has  effectively  aided  in  driv- 
ing out  dishonesty  from  selling,  and  has 
enabled  the  consumer  to  get  full  value 
for  nearly  every  cent  he  has  spent. 

The  methods  of  advertising  are  nu- 
merous, but  the  most  important  kind 
consists  in  writing,  in  one  form  or  an- 
other, and  it  is  with  that  method  of  ad- 
vertising that  this  book  deals.  Below 
are  a  list  of  the  mediums  mostly  em- 
ployed in  this  way: 

Newspapers,  magazines,  trade  jour- 
nals, catalogues,  booklets,  house  or- 
gans, letters,  circulars,  cards,  folders, 
street-cars,  bill-boards,  window  cards, 
blotters,  calendars,  and  premiums  such 
as  memorandum  books.  These  medi- 
ums have  all  brought  successful  results, 
and  must  be  employed  according  to  the 
article  to  be  advertised  and  the  people 
whom  the  advertising  is  to  reach. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Examples  of  Real  Advertising. 

IN  the  previous  chapter,  it  was  stated 
that  you  might  apply  to  the  Bible 
and  history  to  find  instances  of  adver- 
tising. In  this  chapter  we  will  make  a 
journey  into  the  past,  and  search  out 
the  truth  of  this  statement.  Open  the 
Bible  to  Genesis,  Chapter  III. 

"Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtil 
than  any  beast  of  the  field  which  the 
Lord  God  had  made.  And  he  said 
unto  the  woman,  Yea,  hath  God  said, 
Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of  the 
garden  ? 

2.  And  the  woman  said  unto  the 
serpent,  We  may  eat  of  the  fruit  of 
the  trees  of  the  garden: 

3.  But  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  garden, 
God  hath  said.  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  it, 
neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die. 

4.  And  the  serpent  said  unto  the 
woman,  Ye  shall  not  surely  die : 

5.  For  God  doth  know  that  in  the 
day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes 

IX 


12 


MAKING    ADVERTISING     PAY 


shall  be  opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as 
gods,  knowing  good  and  evil." 

There  we  have  the  form  of  real  ad- 
vertising. The  Evil  One  is  desirous  of 
getting  the  soul  of  a  woman,  and  he  bar- 
ters skillfully.  First  he  opens  his  adver- 
tising with  a  heading  that  interests  Eye 
immensely,  and  on  which  the  rest  of  his 
appeal  is  based,  and  logically  follows. 
This  query  arouses  Eve's  curiosity.  No- 
tice that  the  serpent  did  not  ask  a  ques- 
tion about  Eve  solely,  or  the  tree  solely. 
He  brought  both  of  them  into  the  ques- 
tion, and  thus  centers  the  interest  more 
clearly.  Eve  answers  expectantly,  and 
discloses  her  chief  objection.  Having 
obtained  the  admission  and  information 
he  was  after,  and  having  noted  the 
doubt  and  latent  desire  in  the  woman's 
mind,  the  serpent  continues  directly 
with  his  "selling  argument,"  and  with 
simple  and  convincing  assertion  induces 
Eve  to  buy  his  product.  He  points  out 
glorious  probabilities  and  promises  a 
great  attainment :  "Ye  shall  be  as  gods, 
knowing  good  and  evil." 

So  the  Evil  One  wins.  He  has  offered 
Eve  a  bargain.  For  merely  eating  an 
apple,  and  a  delicious  and  tempting  one 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


13 


\ 


at  that,  she  shall  have  untold  wisdom 
and  pleasure — everything  worth  while. 
He  has  spoken  concisely  and  vividly, 
and  bases  his  appeal  on  the  richest  field 
of  advertising  material — human  nature. 
He  has  spoken  successfully,  spoken  to 
her  mind  and  heart,  to  her  vanity  and 
love  of  ease  and  power,  and  to  her  in- 
nate selfishness  and  inherent  desire  to 
get  whatever  she  can  for  the  well-being 
of  herself,  at  the  least  cost.  And  thus 
the  Evil  One  has  obtained  the  woman's 

soul. 

This  same  incident  points  out  the 
soundest  advertising  and  business  moral 
admitted :  namely,  truth.  It  shows  what 
clever  advertising  may  accompHsh,  and 
it  shows  the  price  of  falsehood.  The 
serpent  does  not  back  up  his  claim,  and 
Eve  does  not  get  what  was  promised. 
And  the  serpent  is  ruined — is  dishon- 
ored and  becomes  an  absolute  failure, 
which  will  happen  to  anyone  who  relies 
on  lies  to  get  customers. 

Now  comes  a  famous  historical  ad- 
vertising incident.  Get  out  your  volume 
of  Shakespeare,  and  turn  to  "Julius 
Caesar." 

The  great  Caesar  has  been  murdered, 
and  two  factions  contend  for  the  control 


i 


14 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


of  Rome.  The  control  rests  upon  the 
will  of  the  populace,  and  so  the  oppos- 
ing factions  advertise  their  claims  to  the 
mass  of  Romans,  who  are  undecided  and 
open  to  conviction.  One  side  employs 
Brutus  as  a  medium,  and  the  other  side 
is  advertised  through  Mark  Antony. 
They  have  a  picture  to  sell — a  picture 
of  the  dead  ruler — and  the  one  with  the 
better  picture  is  to  win.  Brutus  first 
presents  his  claims.  Let  us  see  what  he 
says  and  how  he  says  it. 

He  does  not  speak  in  a  tone  calculated 
to  arouse  his  hearers  to  a  high  degree 
of  enthusiasm  or  conviction.  He  does 
not  realize  the  nature  of  the  class  whom 
he  tries  to  interest.  He  does  not  make 
his  appeal  vigorous  or  clear.  Had  his 
audience  been  composed  of  Brutuses, 
he  would  have  succeeded. 

He  does  not  commence  in  a  tone  of 
popular  certainty.  He  pleads,  almost 
apologizes,  and  tells  his  opinion  of  the 
dead  only  from  his  own  standpoint.  He 
does  not  speak  passionately,  nor  does 
he  present  a  vivid  picture  of  Caesar — 
certainly  not  a  very  unpleasant  one. 
From  his  speech,  this  description  of  the 
dead  monarch  is  given :  He  was  valiant, 
fortunate,  and  ambitious.     So  "I"  slew 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


IS 


him,  and  "I"  beheve  *T"  have  done  the 
right  thing.    I  hope  so,  anyway.    Caesar 
was  also,  Brutus  depicts,  of  a  friendly 
disposition.      He    loved    Brutus.     His 
only  fault  was  his  ambition,  and  the  ora- 
tor does  not  in  a  strong  way  indicate 
just  how  his  ambition  was  or  would  be 
baneful.     He  asserts,  but  does  not  rea- 
son.   Of  course,  his  argument  had  some 
effect.      Any    advertisement   would   be 
good  if  there  was  no  competition.    And 
Brutus  was  known  to  be  so  strictly  up- 
right, that  his  beliefs  received  some  re- 
spect.    His  position  would  have  been 
made  very  clear  to  an  audience  of  real 
patriots,   and,   as   it   was,   his   purpose 
would  have  been  accomplished  had  no 
rival  appeared  on  the  field. 

Then  Mark  Antony  addresses  the 
raging,  prejudiced  public.  Antony  has 
a  hard  job.  The  dead  Caesar  is  hated, 
and  this  feeling  is  naturally  directed  at 
all  of  his  friends.  Brutus  is  the  hero 
momentarily.  Not  a  word  must  be  said 
about  him,  or  off  goes  your  head !  An- 
tony knows  this.  He  has  done  the  first 
important  thing— gauged  the  public- 
he  knows  what  it  wants  and  can  be  made 
to  want.  And  he  has  learned  his  "ar- 
ticle" thoroughly.     He  knows  how  to 


i6 


MAKING    ADVERTISING     PAY 


present  the  proposition  properly  and  at- 
tractively. His  speech  fairly  boils  with 
appeal,  reason,  and  logic. 

He  commences  by  being  apparently 
fair  to  his  competitors — w^hich  happens 
to  be  a  matter  of  necessity.  Then,  so 
as  not  to  be  suspected  of  revolutionary 
intent,  he  most  skillfully  presents  an  ir- 
resistible picture  of  the  murdered  con- 
queror. He  offsets  Brutus's  unfavor- 
able conclusions,  as  follows: 

"He  hath  brought  many  captives  home 

to  Rome, 
Whose  ransoms  did  the  general  coffers 

fill.... 
When  that  the  poor  have  cried,  Caesar 

hath  wept .... 
I  thrice  presented  him  a  kingly  crown, 
Which  he  did  thrice  refuse.     Was  this 

ambition?. . . . 
You  all  did  love  him  once,  not  without 


cause . . . . 


}f 


Was  this  ambition?  You  bet  not! 
By  this  time  the  mob  have  decided  to 
change  their  "brand."  Brutus's  claim 
has  been  utterly  refuted  by  superior  ad- 
vertising. Having  done  this,  Antony 
proceeds  to  bring  sentiment  entirely 
over  in  his  direction. 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


17 


He  lets  it  become  known  that  "you'* 
are  his  heirs,  and,  by  withholding  the 
reading  of  the  will,  arouses  the  intense 
curiosity  and  interest  of  the  mob,  who 
have  now  become  ragingly  furious  and 
incensed  against  the  "traitors."  In  fact, 
every  utterance  of  Antony  serves  to 
make  the  populace  think  well  of  his  side 
and  decidedly  ill  of  the  opposition.^ 

As  an  example  of  successful  pictur- 
ing, just  consider  the  vivid  and  dramatic 
incident  of  the  great  advertiser  pointing 
out  dead  Caesar's  wounds.  Every  word 
is  a  lashing  of  the  "traitors"  and  a  praise 
for  Caesar  as  he  shows  to  the  pitying 
and  raging  mob  the  horrible  and  terri- 
ble result  of  the  cruelty,  villainy,  and 
inhuman  treachery  of  the  conspirators. 
And  the  mob  rushes  off  to  accomplish 
ANTONY'S  will,  after  the  culmination 
of  perhaps  the  greatest  advertising 
stunt  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

One  thing  is  clear:  Antony  has 
really  appealed  to  the  instinct  of  self- 
preservation.  He  showed  just  how  his 
"article"  would  do  the  most  for  his  pros- 
pects, in  pleasure,  work,  and  in  the 
moral,  mental,  and  physical  existence 
of  the  "friends,  Romans,  countrymen." 


CHAPTER  III. 

Self-Preservation — The   First   Law   in 

Advertising. 

THE  struggle  for  the  preservation  of 
self  is  the  most  powerful  energy  in 
the  world  of  humankind.  It  is  the  one 
law  impelling  the  manifestations  of  hu- 
man nature,  and  nowhere  is  this  more 
evident  than  in  the  field  of  economics 
and  commerce.  The  average  person 
spends  most  of  his  life  struggling  for 
preservation.  If  you  doubt  this,  just 
quit  trying  to  preserve  yourself,  and  in 
a  week's  time  you  won't  be  able  to. 

We  work  to  earn  money  in  order  to 
feed,  clothe,  and  enjoy  ourselves,  all  of 
which  are  conducive  to  our  self-preser- 
vation. If  we  are  offered  two  articles  of 
equal  quality  at  different  prices,  we  will 
choose  the  one  of  low^est  price,  because 
we  will  save  money  by  so  doing,  and 
when  we  save  money,  we  are  enabled  to 
have  that  which  will  insure  our  worldly 
existence,  because  we  can  buy  the  nec- 
essary things  of  life  with  it.  Consider 
the  examples  in  the  previous  chapter. 
Mark  Antony's    advertisement    prom- 

i8 


MAKING    ADVERTISING     PAY 


19 


ised  the  Romans  greater  security,  lib- 
erty, and  prosperity  than  did  his  oppo- 
nents. He  really  appealed  to  nature's 
first  law. 

We  are  stressing  self-preservation  in 
this  book,  for  the  simple  reason  that  it 
is  the  fundamental  reason  why  people 
will  purchase  anything.  This  may  not 
appear  so  on  the  surface,  but  it  is  so, 
and  the  advertiser  who  realizes  this, 
and  works  on  this  basis  will  find  that 
he  has  struck  the  right  note.  Of  course, 
you  must  not  say  so  in  your  advertise- 
ment in  so  many  words,  but  that  fact 
should  be  the  substance  of  your  ad.  in 
one  form  or  another.  All  inducements 
and  advantages  held  out  to  the  con- 
sumer will  find  a  ready  response  in  his 
desire  for  the  best  and  most  at  the  least 
cost.  Practically  every  article  success- 
fully advertised  has  been  made  to  re- 
spond to  the  innate  selfishness  of  hu- 
manity— to  its  physical,  mental,  or  mor- 
al well-being.  This  applies  alike  to  in- 
dividuals, stores,  or  giant  enterprises. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  success- 
ful advertisement  writer  must  have  an 
emphatic  knowledge  of  human  nature, 
which  is  in  itself  an  evolutionary  prod- 
uct of  self-preservation.    You  need  not 


30 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


accept  this  point  of  view  without  reser- 
vation, but  you  should  accept  it  as  far 
as  it  applies  to  commercial  advertising. 
The  advertising  man  who  will  carefully 
ponder  over  the  influences  of  this  strug- 
gle for  existence  will  find  the  richest 
possible  advertising  soil.  And  when- 
ever you  advertise  that  whoever  buys 
your  goods  or  services  will  make  or  save 
the  most  money,  and  will  receive  the 
best  value  for  the  money  expended,  you 
are  on  the  right  track.  You  are  in  har- 
mony with  the  first  law  of  successful 
advertising — and  if  your  claims  are 
proven,  your  advertising  will  pay.^  Just 
bear  in  mind  that  whenever  we  give  up 
money  we  are  giving  up  that  which  en- 
ables us  to  live,  and  that  in  most  cases 
that  for  which  we  give  the  money  will 
enable  us  to  live  and  will  affect  some 
phase  of  our  existence. 

Advertising  is  a  perfectly  normal  and 
natural  thing,  and  the  less  artificial  your 
advertising,  the  more  profitable  the  re- 
sults. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


The  Appeal. 

THE  appeal  in  an  advertisement  is  the 
"reason  why"  the  reader  should 
buy.  Lack  of  appeal  means  lack  of  con- 
viction which  means  that  the  advertise- 
ment is  a  failure.  Unless  there  is  a  real 
appeal,  unless  the  advertisement  gives 
some  good  reason  why  the  reader  should 
purchase,  not  the  most  skillful  writing 
nor  the  most  artistic  appearance  will 
accomplish  anything  worth  while. 

There  are  many  problems  to  the  ad- 
vertising of  any  kind  of  article,  and 
these  problems  should  be  carefully  over- 
come. What  is  good  in  one  advertise- 
ment may  be  bad  in  another,  and  you 
cannot  advertise  a  piano  as  you  would 
an  orange  orchard.  There  are  two  gen- 
eral classes  of  advertising.  One  is  known 
as  the  "creative"  advertising  and  is  for 
the  purpose  of  introducing  something 
new  on  the  market.  This  is  mostly  the 
manufacturer's  problem.  When  a  new 
article  is  made,  the  manufacturer  has 
to  create  a  desire  for  it  in  three  chan- 
nels— he  must  educate  the  wholesaler, 

ai 


22 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


the  retailer,  and  the  consumer,  especially 
the  latter. 

He  has  to  show  the  wholesaler  that 
the  retailer  will  buy,  and  the  retailer 
must  be  shown  that  the  pubHc  will  buy. 
And  most  important  of  all,  he  must  car- 
ry on  a  large,  interesting,  and  educa- 
tive advertising  campaign  in  order  to 
create  a  desire  or  need  for  the  article 
among  consumers.  He  will  have  to  dem- 
onstrate clearly  and  convincingly  that 
the  article  will  be  of  value  to  them,  that 
its  intrinsic  value  as  well  as  its  utility 
and  convenience,  etc.,  makes  the  article 
extremely  desirable.  He  will  have  to 
find  out  all  the  selling  points  of  the  ar- 
ticle, and  all  the  buying  points  of  the 
public  and  he  must  put  the  two  together. 
Novelty  always  appeals  to  the  people, 
but  at  the  same  time  that  appeal  is  quite 
liable  to  be  counteracted  by  the  desire 
to  hold  on  to  money.  In  other  words, 
the  manufacturer  will  have  to  make  it 
plain  that  "you"  will  benefit  by  the  pur- 
chase, and  that  it  will  help  insure  self- 
preservation  —  "your"  well-being  —  in 
one  form  or  another. 

The  second  class  of  advertising  is  that 
which  needs  to  direct  attention  to  some 
particular  brand  of  a  class  of  goods. 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY  a3 


That  is,  everybody  now  knows  that  he 
should  use  soap,  and  no  soap  manufac- 
turer will  tell  why  "you"  should  use 
soap.  But  he  will  tell  you  why  you 
should  use  "our"  soap.  To  be  exact, 
he  will  tell  why  you  should  use  soap, 
but  he  will  lay  particular  and  dominat- 
ing stress  on  the  "reason  why"  his  soap 
should  be  chosen  in  preference  to  oth- 
ers. A  grocer  does  not  advise  you  why 
you  should  use  groceries.  But  he  v^ill 
claim  that  you  should  buy  his  groceries 
before  others,  and  he  will  proclaim  that 
his  store  offers  you  the  greatest  value 
for  the  money  you  spend. 

Advertising  is  work  comprising  of- 
fensive and  defensive  work.  You  have 
to  defend  yourself,  and  at  the  same  time 
work  on  the  offense.  There  are  many 
things  that  have  to  be  overcome  before 
the  article  will  sell.  Here  are  most  of 
the  obstacles: 

Stand-pattism  or  conservatism,  which 
frowns  on  anything  new  or  out  of  the 
ordinary,  prejudice,  or  any  hke  unfav- 
orable attitude  or  dislike  on  the  part  of 
the  prospect,  the  caution,  greed  and  self- 
ishness which  prompt  people  to  hold 
tight  to  their  money,  procrastination, 
laziness,  ignorance,  doubt,  indifference, 


34 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


and  satisfaction  with  other  brands  or 
other  stores.  Local  conditions  perhaps 
may  cause  other  objections,  and  in  such 
cases  successful  advertising  consists  in 
overcoming  objections.  That  can  best 
be  done  by  the  great  trio:  truth,  reason 
and  logic.  As  an  example,  consider  how 
Mark  Antony  overcame  the  mob's  lik- 
ing of  Brutus  and  those  he  represented; 
and  reversed  its  dislike  and  prejudice  of 
the  dead  Caesar  and  those  who  were 
against  Brutus's  faction.  Just  consider 
how  Antony  made  his  Caesar  fill  the 
need  of  the  ''Friends,  Romans,  country- 
men. 


i) 


In  determining  the  correct  appeals  to 
be  made,  the  ad-writer  must  consider 
the  class  of  people  whom  he  wishes  to 
interest.  By  class  is  meant  the  finan- 
cial and  industrial  condition  of  the 
prospect,  and  also  the  social  and  mental 
condition.  An  automobile  may  be  a  ne- 
cessity to  some,  a  mere  convenience  to 
others,  and  a  luxury  to  the  rest,  while 
to  some  it  will  be  of  no  interest  what- 
ever. A  low-priced  cigar  is  a  luxury  to 
some  while  a  high-priced  one  will  be  a 
luxury  to  others  of  a  more  prosperous 
financial  state.  In  many  cases  an  adver- 
tisement about  a  high-priced  article  ad- 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


«5 


vertises  the  article,  while  that  of  a  low- 
priced  article  often  advertises  the  price. 
Sharp  extremes  of  this  nature  are  to  be 
delicately  handled,  for  it  should  be 
borne  in  mind  that  the  largest  portion 
of  the  buying  public  form  an  average 
class,  to  whom  both  quality  and  price 
mean  considerable,  and  who,  as  a  rule, 
are  willing  to  spend  the  money  for  an 
article  if  they  are  convinced  they  can  do 
no  better  in  regard  to  price  or  quality. 
An  advertisement  in  a  newspaper  should 
be  directed  to  the  average,  unless  the 
store  advertising  caters  to  one  particu- 
lar class.  Some  people  will  be  favor- 
ably attracted  by  low  prices  and  long 
terms,  and  will  be  liable  to  overlook  the 
genuine  worth  of  an  article,  or  they  may 
not  care  about  quality  in  particular. 

The  man  who  studies  the  traits,  pe- 
culiarities, needs  and  likings  of  human- 
ity will  find  many  points  of  contact  be- 
tween the  prospect  and  the  article.  It 
is  true  that  the  most  appealing  point  of 
contact  is  best  value  and  service  on  the 
article's  part,  for  least  cost  on  the  buy- 
er's part.  Another  great  point  of  con- 
tact is  in  service.  Everybody  wants  and 
is  pleased  at  good  service  on  the  seller's 
part,  and  many  people  will  overlook  a 


26 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


difference  in  price  for  an  increase  of  ser- 
vice. Utility  is  the  greatest  selling 
point  of  many  articles,  so  let  your  ad- 
vertisements show  the  uses  to  which  an 
article  may  be  put,  and  how  conven- 
iently and  economically  it  may  be  done. 
And  let  it  be  again  recalled  that  all  of 
these  appeals  result  from  the  instinct  of 
self-preservation,  and  that  if  you  write 
in  harmony  with  this  law  you  will  get  in 
harmony  with  the  victims  of  the  law — 
the  people  who  buy. 

For  instance,  if  you  are  writing  ad- 
vertising for  a  grocer,  you  might  hit  on 
the  idea  of  pure  food.  You  can  easily 
and  effectively  appeal  to  people  if  you 
stress  the  fact  that  "our"  goods  are 
pure.  In  this  one  connection  there  are 
perhaps  fifty  different  subjects,  all 
branching  off  from  the  main  idea. 

Or,  if  you  are  writing  advertisements 
for  a  bank,  you  might  base  your  appeal 
on  any  one  of  the  following  "branches" 
of  self-preservation :  independence, 
emergency  or  ready  money,  the  pay  en- 
velope, the  grocers'  bills,  rent,  health, 
sickness,  happiness,  education,  prestige, 
pleasure,  vacation,  profit,  marriage  and 
the  young  ones,  etc.,  not  to  mention  the 
strength  and  resources  of  the  bank,  its 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


*7 


able  officers,  and  the  service  and  atten- 
tion shown  patrons.  So  here's  the  best 
method  of  striking  the  right  note  in  ad- 
vertising: 

Carefully  analyze  the  human  mind 
and  its  behavior.  Ascertain  to  what 
manner  of  reasoning  and  other  appeal 
it  responds.  Then  analyze  the  article 
to  be  advertised,  and  determine  for  what 
reasons  the  people  will  be  willing  to 
spend  money  for  it.  Then  put  the  re- 
sult of  your  two  analyses  in  your  ad- 
vertisements. 


CHAPTER  V. 


How  to  Write  the  Advertisement. 


B 


EFORE  preparing  advertising  copy 
■  M    '4r  ;c  *>cQpntial  to  have  a  tnorougu 

appear  to  the  eye  »'  *«  ""J^;-  ^„,  ,„ 
•pryrsS" fn  bX'tfc  'advertisef, 

SronTelnrotXrei^e  .0  .et 

^:f „r  to  "r:?ve?nVp"sSSs 

r°„!«  educate  the  PJ*  •».»  -"^ 

oects  to  make  people  send  their  order, 
fryou  instead  of  cotnpetttors   and  to 

help  salesmen  and  others  of  the  sales 

■"'CTaTn  proMem  »«  'Opy  is  to  carry 
JvYctrnt^onvinc,  the  reader^  ma 
thorough  manner.    This  cannot  be  ac 


1 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


29 


complished  by  freakish  and  ultra-fancy 
wording,  by  humor,  excessively  long 
words,  dim  meanings,  irrelevancy,  dull- 
ness, dryness,  ambiguous  or  misdirected 
wording,  or  by  anything  that  does  not 
in  some  direct  or  indirect  manner  at- 
tract attention  to  that  which  is  adver- 
tised. 

Write  sincerely,  concisely,  simply. 
Kill  all  unbearable,  sickening,  fulsome 
praise.  Sincerity  lends  strength  to  any 
argument.  Be  truthful,  logical,  reas- 
onable. Exaggeration  breeds  hesitation 
— the  reader  will  believe  a  sane  claim  far 
more  readily  than  he  will  a  wild,  preten- 
tious one.  There  never  yet  was  any- 
thing that  could  take  the  place  of  truth. 
Once  the  purchasing  people  understand 
that  your  advertisements  are  truthful, 
you  have  opened  a  cemented  road  to 
your  store.  The  public  will  not  trust  a 
merchant  or  manufacturer  if  it  cannot 
trust  his  advertisements. 

Be  sure  that  you  know  what  you  are 
writing  about.  You  have  to  put  the 
selling  points  of  the  article  into  words, 
and  you  should  discover  all  the  possible 
appeals.  Make  no  assertion  that  cannot 
be  backed  up.  In  other  words,  be  en- 
thusiastic, but  don't  overdo  it.    In  play- 


30 


M 


AKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


ing  on  the  prospect's  "discrimination," 
be  moderate  and  sensible.    Your  flattery 
must  be  as  delicate  as  possible.    When 
speaking  of  the  store,  depend  more  on 
verbs  than  on  adjectives.     It  is  not  so 
much  what  "we"  are  as  what    we    or 
our  goods  will  do  for  '^o^"  that  counts. 
The  verb  "serve"  means  a  great  deal. 
While  the  reputation  and  character  of 
the  house  can  go  a  great  way  in  selling 
goods,  an  advertisement  should  not  be 
a    character    study.      Reputation    and 
character  should  proceed  from  actual 
transactions,  and  undue  egotism  is  al- 
ways resented.     A  true  testimonial  to 
you  is  a  stronger  advertisement  than 
your  own  testimony. 

Write  as  briefly  as  possible.  Practice 
economy.  Keep  on  intimate  terms  with 
the  dictionary.  Try  to  produce  a  vivid 
mental  picture  by  using,  vital,  clear-cut, 
brisk  words,  teeming  with  meaning.  The 
more  easily  you  are  understood,  the  bet- 
ter chances  you  stand.  A  word  out  of 
place  may  wreck  an  advertisement.  A 
word  to  the  point  is  worth  a  million 
otherwise.  An  advertisement  that  talks 
too  much  is  just  as  unwelcome  as  a  per- 
son who  talks  too  much.  The  best  ad- 
writers  in  the  country  to-day  cultivate 


MAKING    ADVERTISING     PAY 


31 


a  near  epigrammatic  and  steaming  style. 
The  only  trouble  in  this  line  is  the  temp- 
tation to  let  on  too  much  steam,  and  to 
let  the  personality  of  the  writer  become 
more  prominent  than  the  worth  of  the 
thing  advertised.  All  words  used 
should  be  for  the  benefit  of  the  object 
you  are  advertising. 

Study  well  the  meaning  of  adjectives. 
Use  those  that  more  clearly  and  impress- 
ively describe  the  article.  Good  adjec- 
tives applied  to  an  article  make  it  easy 
for  the  reader  to  obtain  a  clear  idea  of 
what  you  want  him  to  buy.  The  same 
applies  to  nouns  that  mean  a  quality  of 
any  kind.  If  you  are  advertising  a  piano, 
let  the  reader  hear  the  tone;  let  him 
taste  the  freshness  of  groceries  that  are 
advertised;  and  let  him  enjoy  the 
smoothness  and  fragrance  of  tobacco 
if  you  are  advertising  for  the  purpose  of 
selling  it.  Put  these  qualities  before 
him  in  an  irresistible  way.  To  get 
pointers  in  this  line,  make  a  study  of 
the  advertising  in  good  magazines. 

In  using  similes,  metaphors,  or  com- 
parisons of  any  sort,  be  modern  and  per- 
tinent. A  clever  picturing  of  contrast 
can  produce  a  powerful  picture,  and 
many  advertisers  resort  to  it.    Just  be 


X 


careful  not  to  make  your  comparisons 
odious.  And  if  you  are  likemng  a  per- 
fume to  a  rose,  don^t  prompt  the  reader 
to  eo  and  pick  some  roses,  but  to  buy 
vour  perfume.  Keep  all  emphasis  on 
the  right  side.    Stress  the  vital  "reasons 

why.''  ,  J 

Be  original,  but  not  too  much  so,  and 
use  originality  or  any  other  quahty  in 
ad-writing  only  to  help  effect  responses. 
Dedicate  it  to  whatever  results  you  are 
trying  to  accomplish.  It  is  easier  to  pro- 
duce original  ideas  than  to  form  an 
original  style  of  writing.  It  is  extremely 
rare  for  writing  to  make  up  for  the  want 
of  an  idea.  You  cannot  appeal  to  reason 
unless  you  have  an  appeal.  Writing  is 
merely  an  accessory ;  but  the  better  it  is, 
the  easier  will  be  the  progress  of  the 

idea.  .     4.  \ 

Refrain  from  using  a  blatant  style. 

Noise  is  no  requisite.  It  is  only  neces- 
sary or  advisable  in  appeahng  to  the 
more  primitive  people,  and  the  Ameri- 
can buying  public  is  rapidly  emerging 
from  the  commercial  stone  age.  In  the 
English  language  there  are  simple,  terse 
words,  with  strength  and  energy,  that 
stir  the  buying  impulse  quicker  than 
words  of  dazzHng  and  superlative  hue. 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


33 


The  more  truthful  the  tone  of  the  adver- 
tisement, the  less  challenge  will  have 
to  be  overcome,  the  less  antagonism  and 
distrust  must  be  met.  The  reader  is  al- 
ways looking  out  for  his  own  welfare, 
and  he  will  naturally  distrust  the  really 
weak  "strength"  of  the  overdone,  swol- 
len, and  superlative  claims.  You  don't 
want  to  write  in  the  one-hundred-thirty- 
degrees-in-the-shade  style,  nor  in  the 
thirty-below-zero  style.  Be  tepid,  pleas- 
ant, logical,  reasonable. 

Use  lots  of  reason.  Let  no  claim  be 
without  it.  And  present  the  reasons 
and  everything  else  in  a  logical  manner. 
This  done,  you  have  gone  a  long  way 
toward  convincing  the  reader,  and  you 
will  have  less  trouble  in  inducing  action, 
in  stirring  the  "buy-now"  impulse.  Very 
few  people  will  refrain  from  giving  your 
store  a  trial  if  you  convince  them  of 
their  benefit  and  wisdom  in  so  doing. 

Refrain  from  quoting  the  poets  and 
philosophers  except  in  rare  and  special 
cases.  Unless  the  advertising  actually 
requires,  write  neither  technically  nor 
in  the  ultra-vernacular.  Endeavor  to 
strike  the  happy  medium.  Speak  in 
nowaday  terms.  Leave  out  everything 
liable  to  tax  the  reader's  mind.    Take  up 


as  little  of  his  time  as  possible.  Be  ef- 
ficient. Be  chary  with  humor.  When 
in  doubt,  taboo  it.  People  seldom  smile 
when  they  spend  money.  Advertising  is 
no  laughing  matter.  Humor  is  always 
good  and  desirable  when  it  brings  out  a 
point;  otherwise,  it's  otherwise,  and  un- 
less you  are  an  expert  at  humor,  it's 
liable  to  be  otherwise  in  most  instances. 
Unless  you  can  really  count  on  it,  stick 
to  the  straight  road.  Anyway,  never 
make  a  practice  of  it.  Be  serious;  but 
not  sad.  Make  your  advertisement  in- 
teresting. 

Leave  out  words  tending  to  knock  the 
"other  fellow."  Merchants  who  have 
disregarded  this  rule  have  paid  a  high 
price.  People  do  not  care  for  that — 
rather  will  sympathy  for  the  under  dog 
send  them  around  to  his  store.  The 
merchant  who  knocks  his  competitor 
only  bruises  himself — time  will  show. 
Slander  and  libel  are  just  as  inadvisable 
in  business  as  in  other  affairs.  Not  that 
you  should  not  attempt  to  convey  the 
idea  of  your  superiority.  That  should 
be  done— judiciously.  Try  to  show  that 
you  are  better,  and  not  that  your  com- 
petitor is  worse.  Some  ad-writers  have 
profitably  aroused  a  certain  human  in- 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


35 


stinct  by  being  frank,  generous,  and 
conservative  in  a  subtle,  skillful,  and 
rather  vague  way.  You  cannot  hurt 
your  chances  by  being  fair.  The  human 
response  to  this  mode  of  behavior  has 
benefitted  more  than  one  rival — in  busi- 
ness, politics,  and  in  love. 

To  acquire  the  desired  advertising 
style,  you  should  do  two  things :  ^  Study 
good  advertising,  without  imitating, 
and  practice  considerably.  In  this  re- 
spect, quantity  will  evolve  quality. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Miscellaneous  Advertising. 

I  HAVE  so  far  dealt  mainly  with 
'Reason  why"  advertising,  the 
class  toward  which  most  modern  ad- 
vertising is  tending.  This  kind  of  ad- 
vertising has  proven  its  superiority  and 
justified  its  use.  It  is  not  to  be  denied, 
however,  that  other  classes  of  writing 
may  be  used  to  good  effect  in  advertis- 
ing, not  necessarily  introducing  the 
''reason  why"  element.  In  such  cases 
the  purpose  is  mere  publicity.  Rather, 
it  should  be,  for  many  advertisers  use  it 
as  the  rule,  and  not  the  exception,  and 
think  it  has  an  active  and  permanent  ef- 
fect.   It  has  not. 

This  is  no  exhortation  against  any- 
thing new.  Novelty  is  to  be  encour- 
aged. The  trouble  is  that  most  attempts 
at  novelty  contain  but  Httle  substance, 
and  are  momentarily  successful  because 
of  the  novelty.  Originality  and  new- 
ness are  assets  to  any  good  plan.  Bear 
this  in  mind:  that  there  is  one  eternal 
law  underlying  buying — self-preserva- 
tion.    Remember,   also,   that   you   can 

36 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


37 


Utilize  this  law  a  million  ways  in  adver- 
tising. New  aspects,  new  possibilities 
may  continually  arise.  You  can  produce 
numberless  appeals,  all  fathered  by  this 
immutable  law — from  the  buyer's  stand- 
point. 

Aside  from  straight  advertising,  there 
are  miscellaneous  forms  that  have  been 
successful  in  varying  degrees.  House 
organs  might  come  under  this  class;  but 
the  subject  is  referred  to  in  detail  in  a 
future  chapter. 

Included  in  this  class  are  the  various 
popular  contests,  slogans,  trade  marks, 
jingles,  clever  word  play,  humor,  sto- 
ries, and  the  like — essays,  poetry  and 
philosophy. 

Short  stories  have  at  times  been  used. 
More  than  one  retail  firm  have  issued 
clever  short  stories  in  pamphlet  form. 
This  is  like  issuing  a  miniature  maga- 
zine, and  gives  the  benefit  of  regular  ad- 
vertising. Many  stories  are  used  where 
the  climaxes  are  advertising  points. 
Thus  one  concern  manufacturing  candy 
uses  a  series  of  very  short  stories,  and, 
in  tiny  booklet  form,  puts  them  in  its 
boxes  of  confection.  Some  banks  use 
short  stories  showing  the  benefits  of 
saving,  and  in  a  little  magazine  form 


38 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


39 


mail  them  monthly  to  their  patrons  and 

prospects.  . 

A  company  of  manufacturing  chem- 
ists   has    made    use    of    a    humorous, 
lengthy  poem  to  advertise  a  roach  pow- 
der.    Jingles  are  often  resorted  to  and 
sometimes  produce  a  pleasant  effect.    A 
short  story,  a  poem,  or  an  essay  that 
points  out  a  buying  moral  is  good  in 
some    instances,    but    their    power    is 
greatly  weakened  by  excessive  use.  They 
should  be  used  as  refresheners,  and  it  is 
rare  that  they  induce  a  purchase.  Some- 
times it  is  possible  to  introduce  a  real 
selling  point  in  the  miscellaneous  class 
of  advertising.     A  southern  stationery 
store  resorted  to  a  good  plan  of  this  na- 
ture, as  follows: 

From  a  sample  letter  furnished,  about 
three  hundred  copieswerewritten.  Rath- 
er there  were  two  sample  forms,  one 
from  a  boy  out  of  town  to  a  girl  in 
town,  and  vice  versa.     The  couple,  as 
the  letter  indicated,  were  engaged,  and 
were  wildly  in  love  with  each  other.  The 
letter  brought  all  this  out  unmistakably. 
The  three  hundred  of  them  were  distrib- 
uted in  many  places  around  the  city 
where   they   would   most   probably   be 
picked  up,  and  to  the  finder  it  appeared 


that  some  lover  had  dropped  his  or  her 
letter.  And  very  few  people  could  re- 
sist reading  a  letter  commencing,  "Dear- 
est Little  Girl."  The  advertising  point 
came  at  the  very  end,  in  a  small  post- 
script, reading  something  like  this: 

"By  the  way,  what  do  you  think  of 
this  paper  I  am  using?  It  costs  only 
twelve  cents  per  pound,  with  envelopes 
at  nine  cents  a  package.  It  is  called 
Madras  Linen,  and  you  can  get  it  at 
'The  Book  Shop,  (ad- 
dress). Go  and  get  some — it's  good 
value.' " 

This  sold  a  large  lot  of  writing  paper, 
but  it  can  be  seen  that  this  plan  could 
be  used  but  once. 

A  tobacco  concern  distributed  a  little 
booklet  filled  with  trite,  epigrammatic, 
humorous  sayings,  an  occasional  one  of 
which  brought  in  the  name  of  a  cigar. 
Some  concerns  publish  mottoes  on  cards 
and  distribute  them  to  be  hung  up.  A 
good  epigram  is  often  used  as  a  start  in 
an  advertisement. 

So,  miscellaneous  advertising  is  ad- 
visable at  times.  Before  using,  how- 
ever, it  should  be  carefully  considered. 
Bear  in  mind  that  anything  poor  will 
hurt  the  advertiser,  and  that  this  class 


m 


m 


i 


40 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


of  matter  should  not  be  used  perma- 
nently, because  it  will  not  bring  like  re- 
sults. 

There  are  innumerable  undiscovered 
ideas  which  may  be  put  in  sound  adver- 
tising, and  these  you  should  endeavor  to 
find  rather  than  the  fancy  and  novel  haz- 
ards which  are  good  only  because  of 
their  fancy  and  novelty.  Just  figure  out 
beforehand  the  probable  lasting  mental 
effects. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Catalogues,  Booklets,  House  Organs. 

A  CATALOGUE  is  practically  a  ne- 
cessity for  any  concern  wishing  to 
get  mail  orders.  A  catalogue  is  a  sales- 
man in  print.  Some  concerns  employ 
both  catalogues  and  salesmen,  and  some 
use  only  one  of  the  two. 

Chicago  is  the  mail  order  center  of  the 
United  States.  Its  concerns  are  numer- 
ous and  large,  and  have  built  up  a  na- 
tion wide  business  through  mail.  This 
method  is  on  the  increase.  Factories, 
wholesalers,  and  retailers  issue  cata- 
logues, in  addition  to  various  agents. 

Catalogue  writing  is  for  two  pur- 
poses: to  describe  the  goods,  and  to  con- 
vince the  reader  that  he  should  buy 
from  '\\s."  Here  the  strongest  appeals 
must  be  brought  into  play.  The  great 
first  law  prevails.  Houses  depending  on 
catalogues  have  to  be  careful  in  the 
writing.  If  you  trick  or  mislead  a  cus- 
tomer, hard  will  be  your  work  in  get- 
ting him  back.  You've  got  to  make  truth 
omnipotent,  and  the  mail  order  dealer 
who  does  not  decisively  guarantee  his 


41 


f 


'  If 


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Ml 


I 


Mi 


42 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


goods  gets  little  trade.  Printed  words 
become  imbedded  as  firmly  on  the  read- 
er's mind  as  they  do  on  the  catalogue. 

A  catalogue  is  good.  It  will  reach 
places  untouched  by  salesmen.  The  re- 
cent parcel  post  system  increases  the 
range  of  mail  order  buying.  The  manu- 
facturer, retailer,  agent,  and  wholesaler 
are  enabled  to  reach  special  classes,  and 
special  trade.  There  are  numerous  re- 
quirements of  a  catalogue.  The  writ- 
ing should  be  along  the  lines  discussed 
in  this  book.  The  type  used  should  be 
that  kind  which  offers  least  resistance 
to  the  eye,  and  in  most  catalogues  illus- 
trations are  necessary.  An  illustration 
will  often  better  a  word  description.  As 
a  rule,  however,  all  illustrations  are  ac- 
companied by  explanatory  wording. 
Many  concerns  go  to  large  expense  in 
getting  out  their  catalogues,  and  they 
try  to  make  their  book  an  artistic  piece 
of  work.  This  feature  hurts  no  adver- 
tisement. Study  the  catalogues  you 
come  across,  and  note  how  they  do  their 
work.  As  a  salesman  must  be  neat  and 
efficient  in  appearance,  so  must  the  cata- 
logue, and  so  should  the  catalogue  be 
a  descriptive,  reasoning,  appealing  and 
convincing  agent. 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


43 


A  booklet  may  be  a  miniature  cata- 
logue, supplementary  to  a  catalogue,  or 
may  be  entirely  different.    Booklets  are 
used  for  a  variety  of  purposes,  and  are 
in   more   varied   use   than   catalogues. 
Practically    all    manufacturers,    cities, 
and    many    other    corporations,    insti- 
tutions,    and     other     concerns     issue 
booklets.     Booklets  generally  are  spe- 
cializing   works.     They    serve    to    de- 
scribe a  process,  an  article  or  a  service. 
Many  of  them  are  for  educational  pur- 
poses— to  educate  the  recipients  into  the 
use  of  something  new.    A  booklet  must 
not  contain  so  many  dry  facts  as  a  cata- 
logue.   It  must  be  essentially  interest- 
ing, pleasant,  and  easy  to  read.    It  must 
contain    good    writing — whatever    the 
purpose.    The  writing  should  be  in  ac- 
cord with  the  purpose.    Used  discrimin- 
ately,  booklets  may  prove  of  tremen- 
dous service.    You  should  know  before- 
hand what  you  are  driving  at.     Very 
often  a  booklet  may  be  an  enlarged  ad- 
vertisement.    The  writing  and  appeal 
should  be  along  the  lines  portrayed  pre- 
viously.    The  most  important  thing  is 
to  write  so  that  your  message  will  be 
read  to  the  end.     You  must  not  write 
oppressively,  academically,  nor  in  any 


Hi 


44 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


burdensome  manner.  Of  course,  artis- 
tic make-up  is  very  important.  Let  it 
be  appropriate,  neat,  and  inviting.  All 
in  all,  a  booklet  can  serve  the  useful  pur- 
pose of  getting  people  interested  in  one 
thing — can  get  their  attention  focused 
at  one  point.  Result:  the  buying  im- 
pulse is  greatly  stimulated. 

House  organs  are  a  feature  of  adver- 
tising of  later  introduction  than  cata- 
logues or  other  booklets.  House  organs 
are  quarterly  or  monthly  small  maga- 
zines, issued  by  any  concern,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  keeping  in  close,  genial,  and 
business  touch  with  patrons  and  pro- 
spective patrons.  A  good  house  organ 
can  do  worlds  of  good  for  a  manufac- 
turer, wholesaler,  retailer,  or  any  con- 
cern engaging  in  business  in  fairly  large 
proportions.  Many  of  the  largest  es- 
tablishments issue  these  magazines,  and 
in  most  cases  the  results  have  justified 
this  form  of  advertising. 

A  house  organ,  more  than  any  other 
advertising,  should  be  a  work  of  the 
printer's  best  art.  It  should  always  keep 
up  to  a  high  standard.  Besides  a  good 
proportion  that  deals  with  the  house,  its 
goods,  special  bargains,  announcements, 
etc.,  the  matter  in  a  house  organ  should 


I 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


45 


be  of  great  interest  to  the  readers.  The 
better  the  literary  matter,  the  more  like- 
ly are  the  chances  of  the  little  magazine 
receiving  a  thorough  perusal.  Edito- 
rial talks,  illustrations,  epigrams,  jokes, 
selections,  poems,  and  other  bright  read- 
ing matter  constitute  most  of  the  matter 
in  the  best  house  organs,  aside  from  the 
straight  advertising.  Some  house  or- 
gans are  so  helpful  and  interesting  that 
they  are  looked  forward  to,  and  when 
such  is  the  case  the  little  magazine  is 
successful,  and  the  publisher  profits. 

The  main  thing  to  remember  and  act 
upon  is  that  the  matter  must  be  of  in- 
terest to  the  class  of  readers.  A  house 
organ  issued  by  a  bank  would  require 
different  matter  from  that  issued  by  an 
underwear  manufacturer.  House  or- 
gans are  good  supplements  to  salesmen, 
are  almost  certain  to  increase  mail  or- 
ders, and  insure  attention  to  the  house 
— if  the  organ  is  good.  The  house  or- 
gan should  make  the  readers  laugh, 
think,  work,  and  buy.  The  following 
example  of  a  house  organ  represents  the 
ideal  one,  according  to  the  class  of  read- 
ers. 

This  house  organ  is  issued  by  a  large 
printing,  engraving,   and  lithographing 


46 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


i 
1 

I 


house  in  a  southern  state.  Office  sup- 
plies, furniture  and  fixtures,  and  all 
kinds  of  stationery  are  also  sold  by  the 
concern.  Their  most  valued  trade  con- 
sists of  nearly  three  thousand  bankers 
in  several  adjacent  states.  Consequent- 
ly, while  of  interest  to  other  business 
houses,  this  house  organ  caters  mostly 
to  bankers.  Each  month  appears  an 
article  on  bank  advertising.  There  are 
also  some  light  and  serious  business 
talks,  and  bright,  forceful  paragraphs 
about  innumerable  subjects — all  of  in- 
terest to  the  class  of  readers.  There  are 
quite  a  number  of  epigrams  and  other 
trite  sayings.  There  is  some  writing 
of  advertising  value,  besides  the  straight 
advertisements  which  appear.  Within 
four  months  after  the  first  number,  the 
mail  order  business  of  the  house  had 
increased  nearly  fifty  per  cent.,  and  the 
numerous  enthusiastic  testimonials  re- 
ceived redounded  to  the  benefit  of  the 
firm.  By  making  the  little  magazine 
bright,  inspirational,  helpful,  and  inter- 
esting, success  was  achieved. 

House  organs  are  a  good  outlet  for 
the  unique  kinds  of  writing,  and  for 
humor,  jingles,  etc.  Just  be  sure  that 
there  is  an  idea  for  everything  appearing 


i|i 


f 


) 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


47 


in  the  pages.  Those  merchants  and 
others  who  issue  house  organs  should 
go  outside  for  help  if  they  cannot  pro- 
duce the  proper  material,  for  matter  of 
literary  excellence  must  be  used. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Magazine  and  Newspaper  Advertising. 

MORE  money  is  spent  on  newspaper 
and  magazine  advertising  than  on 
any  other  medium.  This  advertising  is 
perhaps  the  most  important  of  all,  and 
if  done  properly  will  produce  the  great- 
est results  for  the  amount  of  money 
spent. 

Advertising  in  the  standard  maga- 
zines is  generally  for  the  most  compre- 
hensive group  of  prospects — the  nation. 
Some  advertising  is  destined  to  influ- 
ence consumers,  retailers,  and  jobbers. 
Some  is  of  interest  to  consumers  only, 
and  to  special  classes.  The  size  of 
circulation  and  the  class  of  subscribers 
and  purchasers  determine  the  advertis- 
ing value  of  any  one  magazine.  Some 
magazines  are  printed  only  for  certain 
classes — doctors,  lawyers,  retailers, 
writers,  sailors,  etc.  AH  in  all,  most 
every  purpose  of  advertising  may  be 
served  via  magazines.  A  good  many  ad- 
vertisements are  for  the  purpose  of  get- 
ting inquiries,  after  which  the  follow- 
up  matter  in  the  form  of  catalogues, 

48 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


49 


booklets,  circulars,  or  letters  induces  the 

purchase. 

Newspaper  advertising  is  mostly  of 
local  interest,  and  to  local  dealers  is  the 
most  important  medium  of  advertising. 
And  the  usual  competition  makes  it  im- 
perative for  the  advertising  to  be  of 
great  excellence.  As  yet,  though,  the 
standard  of  newspaper  advertising  is 
not  as  high  as  that  of  magazines,  chiefly 
because  mostly  the  ''big  fellows"  who 
use  the  magazines  have  the  money  to 
employ  experts.  Both  newspaper  and 
magazine  advertisements  are  read  by 
people  in  a  hurry,  and  the  eye  is  quite 
liable  to  follow  the  line  of  least  resist- 
ance which  necessitates  advertising  that 
is  first  of  all  attractive  to  the  eye.  You 
should  study  carefully  the  effect  of  va- 
rious sizes,  styles,  and  arrangement  of 
type.  A  good  illustration,  or  an  effect- 
ive handhng  of  type  will  work  wonders. 
As  magazine  advertising  represents  the 
best  in  the  land,  you  cannot  do  better 
than  make  a  study  of  the  appearance  to 
the  eye  of  various  arrangements  thus 
appearing.  Short  paragraphs  and  sen- 
tences appeal  to  the  vision  more  than 
lengthy  ones,  so  write  accordingly. 
This  does  not  mean  that  you  should 


50 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


overdo  it.  The  nature  of  the  article 
advertised  ,  should  help  determine  the 
arrangement  of  the  type  or  illustrations. 

Without  attempting  to  reproduce  the 
mechanical  form,  I  w^ill  give  simply  the 
wording  of  some  advertisements,  and 
analyze  their  selling  points,  or  their 
poor  features. 

The  advertisement  following  was 
taken  from  a  magazine : 

"INVISIBLE    SUSPENDER    BELT 

Fits  instantly  inside  waistband  en- 
tirely out  of  sight.  Does  away  with  un- 
sightly suspenders  and  tight  belts. 
Keeps  trousers  and  shirts  down — no 
bagging.    Adjustable — Comfortable. 

The  Ko-Ko-Mo  Invisible  Suspender 
Belt  is  an  indispensable  item  of  both 
summer  and  winter  wear  for  men  and 
boys.  Made  in  sizes  to  fit  all.  Ask  your 
dealer;  if  not  with  him  we  will  supply 
you.  Send  soc  for  sample  belt — in 
silk  $1. 

Money  refunded  if  not  satisfied. 
Salesmen  and  dealers  should  write 
promptly — this  is  an  A-i  proposition. 

(ILLUSTRATION) 

(Address) 


» 


MAKING    ADVERTISING     PAY 


SI 


First  of  all,  it  will  be  noted  that  this 
advertisement  is  of  the  "creative"  class. 
The  manufacturers  are  trying  to  edu- 
cate the  readers  to  the  use  of  the  article, 
consequently  they  describe  in  detail  the 
utility  of  the  article.     They  strive  to 
convince  "you"  that  it  is  necessary  all 
the  year  around,  "indispensable."    They 
are  trying  to  get  money  for  something 
new  and  novel,  and  are  not  trying  to 
get   "you"   to   make   a   change   of   the 
brand  you  are  using.    So  they  do  not  in- 
troduce the  element  of  superiority.     It 
is  not  necessary  to  overcome  competi- 
tion.   The  purpose  in  the  present  case  is 
to    change    the    use    of    the    purchase 
money,  and  not  to  change  its  direction. 
If  competition  should  spring  up  shortly, 
the   concern  would   have   to   advertise 
along    both    lines,    and    later  on  they 
would  have  to  argue  along  the  lines  of 
superiority. 

First,  the  headline,  "INVISIBLE 
SUSPENDER  BELT"  is  well  calcu- 
lated to  arouse  the  interest  of  any  man 
whose  eye  lights  on  it.  Such  a  belt  is  of 
interest  to  all  classes  of  men,  and  very 
few  will  fail  to  read  on,  in  which  case 
the  headline  is  successful.  Headlines 
should  always  aim  to  arouse  either  cu- 


52 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


riosity  or  interest  in  the  reader's  mind. 

This  advertisement  is  an  excellent  ex- 
ample of  the  conservation  of  w^ords.  Not 
an  unnecessary  v^ord  is  in  it,  and  not  one 
word  of  difficult  meaning.  Each  one  is 
exact,  and  all  meanings  are  expressed 
concisely  and  clearly.  The  adverbs  and 
adjectives  used  are  carefully  chosen  and 
produce  the  desired  effect.  They  help 
make  the  message  convincing  and  ap- 
pealing. The  sentences  are  short,  as 
are  the  paragraphs,  and  convey  the 
sense  perfectly. 

To  get  an  idea  of  real  appeal,  read 
over  the  first  paragraph,  and  notice  just 
how  the  article  is  represented  to  fit  in 
with  a  need  and  desire.  "Does  away 
with  unsightly  suspenders  and  tight 
belts."  "Keeps  trousers  up  and  shirt 
down — no  bagging."  The  advertisement 
tells  what  the  article  is,  what  it  does, 
and  how  it  does  it.  It  appeals  to  the 
man's  love  of  comfort  and  appearance. 
It  convinces  him  of  the  need,  and  reas- 
sures him.  Then  comes  the  money  ap- 
peal: "Money  refunded  if  not  satisfied." 
That  convinces  entirely.  All  the  appeals 
branch  out  from  the  great  source,  "Self- 
preservation." 

Having  shown  just  how  good  and  de- 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


53 


sirable  an  article  the  belt  is,  and  why  the 
public  will  buy  it,  the  advertisement 
goes  after  dealers  and  salesmen.  Hav- 
ing convinced  them,  it  incites  prompt 
action — "write  promptly — this  is  an  A-i 
proposition."  "A-i"  has  a  tremendous 
significance  to  any  man  of  business,  and 
the  expression  is  used  in  appealing  to 
the  dealers  and  salesmen. 

The  advertisement  might  have  been 
set  up  in  a  more  attractive  form,  too 
little  space  having  been  given,  and  the 
effect  was  just  a  bit  too  crowded,  but 
the  great  excellence  of  the  wording  and 
ideas  make  up  deficiency  in  the  former 
respect.  Besides  which,  a  good  illustra- 
tion aids  the  very  good  description.  As 
an  example,  this  advertisement  is  most 
valuable  in  showing  just  how  to  word 
your  advertising  space.  A  careful  study 
will  show  you  how  every  word  aids  in 
the  general  effect. 

Another  very  good  advertisement, 
which  took  up  more  space,  was  as  fol- 
lows: 

First,  instead  of  a  headline,  an  im- 
pressive illustration  appears,  which  in- 
vites a  reading  of  the  advertisement  as 
readily  as  would  any  wording.  The 
wording  goes  on: 


54 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


**The  most  timid  pistol-fearing  wom- 
an knows  she  need  not  fear  the  Savage, 
when,  in  the  dead  of  night,  she  seizes 
it  to  protect  herself  and  her  babies. 

Its  ten  quick  shots  are  absolutely  at 
her  control — one  to  each  trigger  pull — 
either  fast  or  slow. 

It  shoots  straight  in  the  dark,  for  she 
aims  it  as  easily  as  pointing  her  finger. 

It  \^safe,  because  a  glance,  or,  in  the 
dark,  a  touch  tells  if  it  is  loaded. 

Is  your  home  really  protected  against 
burglars?  To-day  send  6c  in  stamps  for 
booklet  'If  You  Hear  a  Burglar.' 

(Address) 


» 


The  illustration  used  in  this  advertise- 
ment is  skillful  and  practical.  It  pic- 
tures the  revolver,  the  method  and  ease 
of  firing  it,  and  a  woman  prepared  to 
use  it.  The  advertisement  is  written 
very  ably,  and  the  central  idea  is  made 
prominent  all  the  way  through.  The 
style  is  smooth,  interesting,  and  vivid, 
and  every  word  is  painstakingly  express- 
ive and  impressive.  The  words  in 
italics  were  properly  chosen  for  that 
style  of  type,  and  help  emphasize  a  great 
appeal:  ''absolutely  at  her  control — 
safe^ 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


55 


The  former  advertisement  represents 
a  good  example  of  "creative"  advertis- 
ing. The  latter  is  a  very  good  example 
of  the  other  class.  The  revolver  is  noth- 
ing new,  and  a  person  may  choose  one 
from  a  number  of  different  brands.  But 
this  particular  brand  is  so  described,  and 
with  such  a  special  appeal,  that  it  logic- 
ally appears  that  it  is  better  for  the  pur- 
pose than  any  other,  and  this  done  with- 
out the  usual  "beware  of  imitations." 
The  ad-writer  here  brings  out  the  su- 
periority of  his  revolver  in  an  unassum- 
ing and  natural  manner. 

Here  is  an  advertisement  that  shows 
sharply  how  human  nature  may  prop- 
erly figure  in  the  appeal.  The  appeal  is 
unmistakably  to  women — "herself  and 
her  babies."  Right  there  is  something 
of  vital  interest  to  women.  Just  imagine 
what  impression  the  first  paragraph 
makes  on  the  loving  mother.  There  is 
the  downright  call  to  self-preservation — 
to  protect  the  mother  and  children  from 
burglars.  How  many  women  hear  bur- 
glars at  night?  Doesn't  an  advertise- 
ment like  this  go  into  their  hearts? 
Nothing  in  the  world  will  interest  a 
woman  to  a  greater  degree  than  will  a 
method  of  home  protection. 


56 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


A  huge  majority  of  women  fear  a  re- 
volver through  ignorance  and  just  an 
emotional,  instinctive  horror  of  its  pow- 
er. This  advertisement  sets  them  at 
ease  in  both  respects.  Here's  the  thread: 
"She  need  not  fear  a  Savage";  ^'abso- 
lutely at  her  contror';  "It  shoots 
straight  in  the  dark";  "It  is  safe." 

Not  only  is  the  revolver  claimed  to 
be  safe,  but  reasons  are  logically  ad- 
vanced, so  that  the  advertisement  pre- 
sents a  reasonable,  logical,  calm,  and 
convincing  front.  It  is  convincing  and 
impelling,  and  no  undue  claims  are 
made.  It  is  easily  read,  because  the 
words,  sentences,  and  paragraphs  are 
brief  and  clear. 

Here  is  a  newspaper  advertisement 
which,  typographically,  was  set  off  quite 
attractively,  the  type  arrangement  prob- 
ably making  any  special  headline  un- 
necessary: 


"Graham  Crackers  baked  by  the  Na- 
tional Biscuit  Company  have  a  flavor 
and  zest  all  their  own.  You  will  relish 
them.    They  will  nourish  you. 

NATIONAL  BISCUIT  COMPANY 

GRAHAM 
CRACKERS 


MAKING    ADVERTISING     PAY 


57 


Made  from  the  finest  materials  and 
perfectly  baked,  they  come  to  you  fresh, 
crisp,  and  clean — in  the  moisture-proof 
package.  Eat  them  at  meals  and  be- 
tween. Give  them  to  the  children  with- 
out stint.  Always  look  for  the  In-er- 
seal  Trade  Mark. 


IOC. 


>> 


This  advertisement  vividly  describes 
the  qualities  of  the  biscuits,  and  gives 
good  "reasons  why"  everybody  should 
eat  them.  The  element  of  health  is 
stressed — in  these  days  of  pure  food,  and 
this  appeals  to  the  Last  Analysis — self- 
preservation.  Here's  how:  "You  will 
relish  them.  They  will  nourish  you — 
they  come  to  you  fresh,  crisp  and  clean 
— in  moisture-proof  package.  Eat  them 
at  meals  and  between.  Give  them  to  the 
children  without  stint." 

In  these  words,  the  advertiser  not 
only  appeals  to  the  man  and  woman, 
but  brings  in  the  ever  interesting  ob- 
jects, "children."  The  tone  of  the  last 
few  sentences  is  so  as  to  arouse  confi- 
dence— the  enthusiasm  of  the  manufac- 
turer is  contagious.  This  advertising  is 
not  creative.  It  simply  points  out  a  par- 
ticular brand,  and  endeavors  to  convince 


58 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


the  reader  of  that  brand's  superiority.  It 
makes  the  reader  think  that  no  other 
brand  will  serve  the  purpose,  and  it 
makes  the  name  big  and  familiar  so  that 
the  shopper  will  not  forget  it.  You  can 
taste  the  biscuits  in  this  advertisement, 
which  makes  its  appeal  to  people  who 
want  something  tasty,  substantial,  and 
nourishing — quality. 

Aided  by  an  interesting  illustration, 
this  newspaper  advertisement  is  excep- 
tionally good: 

"It  is  the  ambition  of  every  father  to 
see  his  boy  some  day  securely  fixed  in 
a  nice  business.  If  you  save  money  for 
no  other  purpose,  why  not  begin  now 
putting  money  in  the  bank  for  YOUR 
BOY'S  FUTURE?  Perhaps  the  same 
money  that  will  set  your  boy  up  in  busi- 
ness will  make  a  comfortable  old  age 
for  you. 

Do  YOUR  banking  with  US. 

We  pay  four  per  cent,  interest  on  sav- 
ings accounts." 

Think  of  the  number  of  fathers  whom 
that  advertisement  interested.  It  is  one 
of  those  advertisements  which  prompt 
serious  thought.  It  is  reasonable,  log- 
ical,  interesting,   and   presents   an  at- 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


59 


i 


tractive  proposition.  First,  there  is  the 
basic  and  seldom  unsuccessful  appeal  to 
self-preservation.  The  advertisement 
calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  by  help- 
ing your  son  with  a  savings  account, 
you  will  probably  make  your  old  age 
comfortable — by  having  a  grateful  and 
prosperous  son — in  business.  Magic! 
Magic!  And  how  many  fathers  are 
there  who  are  not  powerfully  concerned 
about  their  sons'  future?  This  adver- 
tisement offers  a  solution  to  the  prob- 
lem, and  makes  the  parent  reader  think 
— and  act!  Having  indicated  the  de- 
sirability of  a  bank  account,  it  directs 
attention  to  our  bank. 

Make  a  habit  of  studying  the  adver- 
tisements you  see  about  you,  and 
analyze  them — it'll  do  you  good! 


4 


J 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Circulars  and  Letters. 

T^HE  line  between  circulars  and  let- 
■■■  ters  is  not  sharply  drawn.  The 
form  letter  that  is  sent  out  is  certainly 
more  of  a  circular  than  a  letter.  A  let- 
ter is  written  personally,  while  a  circu- 
lar is  printed,  or  prepared  on  a  dupli- 
catmg  machine,  and  despite  the  fact 
that  these  machines  have  been  vastly 
improved  in  recent  years,  it  is  hard  to 
get  out  a  circular  on  them  which  will 
appear  exactly  as  a  typewritten  letter. 

Most  form  letters  or  circulars  got  out 
by  houses  are  generally  dry,  and  are  ut- 
terly lacking  in  the  personal  touch  that 
goes  with  a  good  letter.  At  the  same 
time,  circulars  that  are  carefully  pre- 
pared and  attractively  written  are  ca- 
pable of  getting  huge  results.  The  only 
trouble  is  the  liability  of  the  writer  to 
relapse  into  the  stereotyped  style,  in 
which  case  the  circulars  are  generally 
cast  to  that  bourne  from  which  they 
never  return.  A  form  letter  must  be  as 
near  like  a  personal  letter  as  possible  in 
being  addressed  to  a  special  class.  Make 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


6i 


it  as  personal  as  possible,  and  write  it 
brightly,  smoothly,  and  put  vitality  into 
it.  And  keep  it  up  all  the  way  through. 
Write  it  so  that  the  reader  will  reflect 
over  it,  and  refer  back  to  it,  and  do  not 
fail  to  bring  in  the  *'punch."  In  writing 
it,  bear  in  mind  what  the  letter  is  in- 
tended to  effect — and  go  at  that! 

The  circular  that  is  dull,  sonorous, 
and  full  of  the  commonplace  and  the 
year  1875  edition  of  adjectives  gener- 
ally dies  a  natural  death,  and  is  remem- 
bered by  no  one.  When  you  use  the 
same  style  used  by  a  million  other  con- 
cerns, your  chances  of  getting  results 
are  accordingly  diminished.  This  does 
not  mean  that  you  should  hitch  your 
pen  or  typewriter  to  the  Milky  Way.  It 
is  not  advised  that  you  write  in  the  year 
2000  style.  It  only  means  that  you 
should  get  out  of  the  writing  rut,  and 
use  the  modern,  clever,  attractive,  terse, 
compelling  style,  with  pithy  adjectives, 
verbs,  phrases,  sentences,  and  para- 
graphs. 

Circulars  are  generally  used  in  mak- 
ing a  special  announcement,  or  as  a  fol- 
low-up after  a  request  for  a  catalogue, 
booklet,  or  sample.  Many  concerns 
have  circulars  printed,  and  send  them 


62 


.MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


out  with  the  regular  mail.  Some  are 
put  in  between  the  pages  of  catalogues, 
and  some  are  placed  with  goods  sold. 
Some  concerns  send  out  circulars  regu- 
larly. A  variety  of  purposes  is  served 
through  this  medium,  which  is  compar- 
atively inexpensive,  and  certain  to  bring 
results  if  done  properly. 

A  retail  stationery  store,  catering  to 
a  good  class  of  trade,  mailed  several 
hundred  circulars  to  a  select  class  of 
customers.  The  circulars  were  neatly 
printed  on  a  special  paper  sold  by  the 
store,  and  were  mailed  first-class. 
Through  careful  calculation  beforehand, 
good  results  were  obtained  in  the  shape 
of  orders  and  increased  appreciation  and 
prestige.    The  circular  was  as  follows : 

"JOIN  THE  COMMUNITY  CET! 

Shopping  on  King  Street  now  is  a  dis- 
agreeable duty— it's  so  hot,  and  will  be 
even  worse  for  full  three  Summer 
months. 

Do  you  know  that  our  DELIVERY 
SERVICE  makes  shopping  COOL  for 
you?  That  without  the  discomfort  of 
going  out  in  the  hot  sun  you  can  get 
anything  in  our  line  in  quick  time? 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


63 


You  can  get  the  best  stationery  with 
the  least  trouble. 

Call  us  up  any  time  of  the  day,  let  us 
know  what  you  want,  and  we  will 
promptly  send  the  articles  to  you. 
Thus  you  may  purchase  from  us 
without  the  heat  that  bothers  the  King 
Street  buyer.  We  make  shopping  cool, 
pleasant,  and  easy  for  you. 

It  is  our  perpetual  pleasure  to  deliver 
any  orders  entrusted  to  us,  and  we  will 
appreciate  orders  for  books,  magazines, 
paper  and  envelopes,  leather  goods, 
novelties,  inks,  pens,  etc.  Just  call  us 
up — 'phone  No.  2207 — and  buy  in  com- 
fort. Our  goods  will  bespeak  our  ap- 
preciation of  your  favors. 

Very  respectfully, 
THE  COMMUNITY  BOOK  SHOP. 
'Phone  No.  2207. 

Note: — This  letter  is  written  on  our 
35c  special  box  paper." 


The  headline  appearing  is  used  as  a 
slogan  by  the  store,  and  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  the  name  of  the  store  and 
the  class  of  patrons.  The  letter  shows 
how  "our"  goods  fit  in  with  "your" 
wants,  and  how  ''our"  service  fits  in  with 


''4 


4 


MAK1N<;     A  OVER  T  I  S  I  N  C,     p  a  V 


MAKING    ADVERTISING     PAY 


65 


f 


I 


your  comfort.  Service  is  the  main 
theme  of  the  appeal.  The  store  here 
evmces  a  desire  to  serve  and  please  the 
patron.  It  is  a  declaration  of  accom- 
modation. 

One  striking  point  of  contact  is  promi- 
nent—where the  circular  appeals  to  the 
patron  s  ove  of  comfort  and  ease.  Most 
people  like  to  buy  at  stores  where  the 
minimum  trouble  is  attendant.  It  is  an 
appealing  idea,  too— just  to  step  to  the 
phone  and  easily  transact  your  busi- 
ness and  this  letter,  giving  the  'phone 
number  twice,  takes  care  to  get  the  read- 
er to  act. 

Then  as  a  general  reminder,  there  is 
a  list  of  the  kind  of  goods  "you"  mav 
want.  And  there  is  the  appeal  of  ap- 
preciation. All  buyers  are  gratified  to 
know  that  their  patronage  is  deeply  ap- 
preciated. This  circular  is  written  in  a 
style  to  respond  to  the  culture  and  re- 
finement of  the  recipients-get  on  to 
that  habit! 

There  is  one  more  very  important 
pomt  to  notice:  this  circular  was  sea- 
sonable.  It  was  written  at  the  com- 
mencement of  Summer,  when  the  iDer- 
meating  heat  of  the  city  certainly 
made  shopping  an  unpleasant  phvsical 


proceeding.  This  feature  was  the  key- 
note of  the  entire  circular,  and  the  re- 
sults secured  proved  that  the  advertis- 
ing was  successful. 

A  good  personal  letter  may  bring 
greater  results  than  any  like  amount  of 
words.  By  letter  is  meant,  not  form- 
paragraphs  with  the  name  filled  in  with 
the  typewriter,  but  a  real,  live,  true-true 
letter,  dictated  and  signed.  First,  the 
effect  on  the  recipient  is  vastly  better 
than  that  produced  by  a  form  letter  or 
circular.  He  knows,  if  he  receives  such 
a  circular,  that  perhaps  thousands  of 
other  people  are  getting  the  same,  and  in 
his  mind,  his  importance  to  you  is  be- 
littled. He  feels  that  he  is  no  more  ap- 
preciated than  anyone  else,  and  that  you 
just  care  "average"  about  getting  his 
order,  or  whatever  you  want  to  get. 

A  letter,  you  see,  may  be  the  best  flat- 
tery permissible  in  advertising.  It 
makes  the  reader  believe  that  you  are 
personally  interested  in  having  him  or 
her  as  a  customer.  It  flatters  in  a  subtle, 
honest,  and  business-getting  manner.  It 
strikes  at  selfishness,  and  responds  to 
the  ego's  desire  for  recognition,  pres- 
tige, and  appreciation.  It  takes  more 
time,  and  perhaps  more  postage,  but  it 


66 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


pays— which  is  the  final  test  of  advertis- 
ing. 

Then  by  a  letter  you  are  enabled  to 
solve  the  problem  of  the  individual 
buyer.  You  may  appeal  to  him  in  a 
way  that  would  not  successfully  appeal 
to  another.  For  the  purpose  of  keeping 
a  customer,  and  getting  back  old  ones, 
there  is  nothing  more  effectual  than  a 
letter.  A  wholesale  clothing  merchant 
took  the  pains  to  send  many  personal 
letters  out  to  good  customers  who  for 
some  reason  or  other  had  quit  buying 
from  him.  They  were  mostly  mer- 
chants in  small  country  towns.  Here's 
a  copy  of  one  letter: 


{( 


Mr. 


Dear  Sir: — 

What's  the  trouble? 

Upon  referring  to  my  ledger,  I  find 
that  It  has  been  a  long  time  since  you 
purchased  any  goods  from  us.  I  am 
certainly  surprised  at  this,  for  I  felt 
confident  that  you  were  well  pleased 
with  our  last  shipment,  and  I  am  at  a 
thorough  loss  to  understand  why  you 
have  stopped  dealing  with  us. 

If  any  act  on  our  part  has  given  you 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


67 


reason  to  feel  dissatisfied,  I  would  con- 
sider it  a  personal  favor  if  you  would 
advise  me.  If  you  have  the  slightest 
cause  for  complaint,  I  want  to  adjust 
the  matter  to  your  entire  satisfaction. 

Our  Fall  stock  is  new  and  complete, 
and  our  prices  are  even  lower  than  last 
season.  I  will  take  pleasure  in  sending 
you  a  salesman,  should  you  so  desire. 
Your  orders  will  receive  my  personal  at- 
tention, and  I  will  see  that  you  get 
pleased. 

Please  be  so  kind  as  to  let  me  know 
if  we  may  expect  some  of  your  patron- 
age, and  if  not,  a  frank  reply  stating 
your  reasons  would  be  gratefully  re- 
ceived. You  know,  we  do  not  like  to 
see  our  good  customers  quit  us,  and  we 
took  pride  in  having  your  name  on  our 
books. 

What  about  it?  May  we  expect  you 
to  favor  us? 

Yours  very  truly, 
JOHN  DOE  CLOTHING  CO., 
(Signed)  John  Doe,  Pres." 

Here  we  have  a  letter  containing  con- 
sistent flattery,  earnest  and  inviting.  It 
is  not  overdone.  Flattery  overdone  is 
a  deadly  poison.     Just  imagine  the  ef- 


1 

i 


i 


68 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


feet  on  the  merchant  getting  the  above 
letter,  typewritten  and  signed  by  the 
president  of  the  company.     The  presi- 
dent   who  IS  so  busy,  is  anxious  about 
me.    He  will  exert  every  effort  to  please 
^^'  J^^  has  kept  my  account  in  mind, 
and  has  remembered  my  last  shipment. 
And  he  considers  me  such  a  valuable 
customer  that  he  is  worried  to  death 
about  my  leaving  him.     He  wants  to 
know  my  reason— he  will  do  all  in  his 
power  to  rectify  that  mistake  his  store 
made,  or  he  will  prove  to  me  that  his 
service  and  goods  equal  if  they  do  not 
excel  those  of  the  house  from  which  I 
now  purchase.    He  will  send  me  a  sales- 
man if  I  request  it,  he  will  give  my  or- 
ders  his  personal  attention,  and  will  see 
that  I  get  pleased.     He  is   solicitous, 
anxious,  in  earnest,  and  eager  to  sell  me 
again.    And  his  stock  is  complete,  and 
his   prices    even    lower.      Even    lower  ^ 
I  hat  sounds  good.    And  he  took  pride 
in  having  my  name  on  his  books.     He 
does  not  accuse  me  of  injustice  to  him 
nor  of  a  lack  of  wisdom  in  not  buying 
from  him— he  only  wants  a  chance  to 
sen  me,  and  prove  to  my  satisfaction— 
or  else  he  only  wants  a  frank  reply  with 
my  reason  for  not  patronizing  him.    His 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


69 


proposition  is  fair,  and  I  ought  to  give 
him  a  trial.  He  will  do  everything  pos- 
sible to  please  me.  I  feel  that  I  should 
write  him,  and  tell  him  I  will  let  him 
have  an  order. 

Always  make  your  letter  clear  and 
easy  to  understand,  and  be  careful  not 
to  give  any  offense  to  the  reader,  nor  to 
let  him  suspect  any  tinge  of  flattery. 
Use  smooth,  pleasant  English,  with  one 
hundred  per  cent,  meaning  and  inten- 
tion. Bend  every  effort  toward  getting 
a  response.  If  you  get  a  reply  to  a  let- 
ter, you  can  often  make  the  order  certain 
by  an  answer.  The  above  letter,  for 
instance,  induced  a  reply,  resulting  in 
an  order.  Several  like  responses  were 
secured,  many  of  which  v/ere  orders, 
promised  orders,  or  gave  reasons  for 
not  sending  any.  Be  as  judiciously  per- 
sonal in  a  letter  as  you  desire.  Choose 
words  carefully.  If  in  doubt,  get  the 
stenographer  to  write  it  over.  Have 
your  letters  neat  and  artistic  in  appear- 
ance, and  see  that  your  letter  heads  are 
likewise.  The  man  of  letters  takes  on  a 
new  significance  in  business.  A  two 
cent  stamp  has  often  brought  a  thou- 
sand dollar  order. 


CHAPTER  X. 


Press  Work. 

P  RESS  work,  in  its  trade  marked  ac- 
ceptance of  the  word,  is  the  obtain- 
ing of  the  most  valuable  advertising- 
space  without  paying  therefor.  Its  main 
benefit  is  mere  publicity,  the  refresh- 
ing of  the  public's  memory. 

Local  space  in  a  newspaper  or  men- 
tion in  an  '^article''  in  a  magazine  is 
very  valuable  in  an  advertising  way  and 
hard  to  obtain.  One  might  argue 'that 
press  work  is  an  art,  in  its  modest  way 
and  is  handled  by  experts  in  that  spe- 
cial line.  Clever  press  work  has  put 
more  than  one  political  candidate  in  of- 
fice, and  has  induced  large  attendance  at 
more  than  one  show. 

There  are  a  few  elementary  rules  of 
press  work  which  should  be  understood 
by  every  advertising  manager.  I  do  not 
attempt  to  teach  the  intricacies  of  press 
work— a  volume  could  be  written  on  the 
subject  and  still  one  would  need  a  course 
in  lixpenence  to  master  it  as  an  art  I 
am  only  discoursing  on  the  work  as  a 
commercial  advertising  adjunct 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


71 


The  primary  rule,  summed  up,  is  this: 
Break  into  the  local  columns  of  the 
newspapers  unobtrusively,  so  that 
neither  the  city  editor,  through  whose 
hands  the  copy  must  go  and  the  read- 
ing public  for  whose  eyes  it  is  intended 
will  know  that  it  is  advertising.  If  it 
bears  ''advertisement''  on  its  face  it  will 
never  get  by  the  city  editor.  The  recent 
newspaper  publicity  law  which  decrees 
that  all  advertising  matter  must  be  des- 
ignated "advertising"  makes  the  work 
of  the  press  agent  harder — but  of  great- 
er value  when  done. 

Many  manufacturers  and  wholesalers 
who  thus  get  their  name  in  the  paper — 
as  they  do  for  instance,  in  moving  into 
a  new  building,  making  notable  im- 
provements, etc. — send  either  printed 
clippings  or  marked  copies  of  the  paper 
to  patrons  and  prospects.  Some  con- 
cerns get  their  names  in  trade  journals, 
and  send  clippings  out.  It  is  a  good 
practice,  too. 

Let  us  take  a  hypothetical  case  for  the 
purpose  of  instruction.  Presume  that 
you  are  advertising  manager  for  a  large 
retail  store  in  a  city  of  about  seventy- 
five  thousand  people  wherein  there  are 
two  newspapers.    I  assume  such  a  case 


72 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


7J 


'* 


because  of  all  hard  tasks  for  a  press 
agent  the  hardest  of  all  is  to  get  local 
space  for  a  retail  house.  Comes  a  time 
when  a  buyer  goes  to  New  York.  If 
the  advertising  manager  is  on  his  job, 
down  goes  the  following  item  to  the 
newspapers : 

"John  Doe,  buyer  for  the  firm  of  Rich- 
ard Roe  &  Co.,  has  gone  to  New  York 
on  a  short  business  trip." 

Mr.  City  Editor,  unless  he  has  had 
metropolitan  experience  will  not  suspect 
advertisement  purpose  there,  and  the 
Item  gets  through.  It  is  probably  read 
by  every  newspaper  reader  in  the  city 
and  thousands  of  people  have  therefore 
read  the  name  of  the  firm.  They  will 
forget  it  for  awhile,  but  the  memory 
will  recall  it,  when  his  return  is  an- 
nounced like  this: 

"After  a  satisfactory  business  trip  to 
New  York,  John  Doe,  buyer  for  Rich- 
ard Roe  &  Co.,  has  returned  to  the  city." 
^  In  this  way  a  great  deal  of  attention 
IS  directed  to  the  store.  The  name  is 
exceptionally  familiar  for  the  time. 
Then  the  advertising  manager,  having 
by  two  local  items  in  each  of  the  two 
papers,  prepared  the  ladies  for  some- 


thing, buys  a  good  supply  of  straight 
advertising  space  and  proceeds  to  spread 
all  over  his  advertisement  an  announce- 
ment of  the  new  goods  and  "excellent 
values"  obtained  from  the  great  New 
York  market.  Having  been  prepared 
for  this,  the  public  does  not  in  the  least 
doubt  the  claims  advanced,  and  the  sale 
or  season  opening  becomes  successful, 
because  the  natural  publicity  has  made 
the  store's  name  familiar  to  everybody. 
Suppose,  for  instance,  you  have  heard 
of  a  brand  of  biscuit  named  "Eatit."  You 
know  nothing  of  the  finished  dough,  but 
just  remember  the  name.  You  go  into 
a  store  to  buy  some  biscuits,  and  the 
salesman  offers  you  three  kinds,  one  of 
which  he  mentions  as  "Eatit."  Assum- 
ing that  you  know  nothing  of  either  of 
the  three,  you  will  choose  "Eatit"  be- 
cause the  name  is  familiar.  There  you 
have  it. 

If  one  is  connected  with  a  theater,  his 
task  is  comparatively  easy.  But  let  us 
suppose  now  that  you're  connected  with 
the  advertising  department  of  a  real  es- 
tate company.  Suppose  that  company 
is  developing  a  bit  of  suburban  real  es- 
tate, off  the  car  line. 

The  press  work  of  the  advertising 


74 


MAKI  N  G     ADVERTISING     PAY 


man  here  consists  in  making  the  ac- 
quaintance of  some  good  reporter  on 
each  of  the  local  papers,  and  of  know- 
mg  what  stuff  to  give  him!  In  the  first 
place,  the  launching  of  a  real  estate  proj- 
ect is  a  legitimate  local  item.  Later, 
even  though  he  be  not  confident  at  all,' 
he  might  interview  the  local  traction 
company  relative  to  extending  a  spur 
trolley  to  his  real  estate.  Let  us  sup- 
pose the  company  says,  as  all  companies 
say:  "We^ll  take  the  matter  under  con- 
sideration." 

Then  the  course  is  clear:  Mr.  Adver- 
tismg  Manager  makes  Mr.  Reporter 
come  to  interview  him  (and  by  the  way, 
never  give  a  reporter  a  cigar  or  a  drink: 
he  becomes  suspicious  and  less  respect- 
ful the  minute  you  do)  and  announces 
that  the  X.  Y.  Z.  Railway  Company  may 
extend  their  line  to  his  place.  Another 
legitimate  news  item  manufactured. 
The  reporter,  if  he  knows  his  business, 
will  interview  the  traction  company 
man,  who  will  also  tell  him  that  the  mat- 
ter is  "under  advisement.'' 

Now  you  have  your  project  again  in 
the  public  eye,  and  with  its  supposed  ad- 
vantages prominently  extolled.  And 
you  have  the  additional  advantage  of 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


75 


having  started  public  sentiment  toward 
the  building  of  that  line.  It's  all  a  study 
of  advertising  psychology — all  publicity 
and  display  are  clearly  so.  In  press 
work  you  do  not  have  to  observe  all  the 
numerous  minor  rules  of  advertising — 
the  main  thing  is  publicity.  Never  let 
small  things  slip.  Every  time  the  name 
of  your  firm  gets  newspaper  mention 
you  have  obtained  good  advertising 
space.  Incidentally,  news  of  the  day 
may  be  woven  into  your  regular  adver- 
tising in  diverse  ways. 

In  studying  methods  for  "getting 
over"  your  press  stuff,  put  yourself  first 
in  the  capacity  of  city  editor.  Would 
you  suspect  that  article  if  it  came  to 
your  desk  through  the  regular  channel? 
No?  Then  write  it.  After  which,  put 
yourself  in  the  Public's  place.  Would 
you  then  suspect  that  it  was  advertis- 
ing? 

Press  work  cannot,  of  course,  take  the 
place  of  your  regular  advertising,  and 
the  results  may  not  be  apparent,  but 
some  results  are  always  certain,  and 
some  day  something  unusual  may  mean 
a  big  thing  for  the  store.  This  article 
is  intended  simply  as  suggestions  for 
auxiliary  advertising  work. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


"Hints." 

13  ARELY  write  advertisements  in  the 
-*-^  first  person. 

Make  your  advertising  a  spectro- 
scope, and  not  a  magnifying  glass. 

People  do  not  want  to  know  what 
you  have  to  say,  but  what  you  have  to 
sell. 

If  you  write  the  truth  better  than 
your  competitor,  and  more  attractively, 
you  will  get  the  business,  even  though 
his  truth  be  as  valuable  as  yours. 

Advertising  forms  and  appeals  are  be- 
coming so  numerous  that  into  the 
realms  of  advertising  are  being  brought 
philosophy,  poetry,  science,  poHtics, 
news,  art,  humor,  and  history.  If  the 
least  of  these  is  used  to  point  out  a  pur- 
chasing moral  or  reason,  it  is  well  and 
good.  But  remember  that  the  con- 
sumer can  get  all  of  these  through  spe- 
cial channels.^  If  he  wants  humor,  there 
is  Life,  and  if  he  wants  philosophy  or 
poetry,  he  can  get  them  from  books,  and 
so  it  is  with  the  others. 

See  that  any  of  the  above  are  used 

76 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


T! 


( 


relevantly.  They,  and  many  more 
things  and  facts  of  human  interest,  will 
in  the  future  play  a  larger  part  in  ad- 
vertising, and  whenever  you  can  use 
the  new  and  unusual  in  advertising  you 
will  first  of  all  attract  people  through 
sheer  attraction  of  novelty,  and  if  your 
advertising  contains  substance,  you  will 
find  you  have  acted  wisely.  Only — and 
these  are  the  wisest  words  in  advertis- 
ing— do  not  overdo  it. 

Try  to  develop  advertising  energy, 
originality,  and  initiative.  Here's  how: 
Convince  yourself  that  your  article  has 
a  thousand  selling  points.  Set  yourself 
to  discover  them.  Bear  in  mind  that 
many  people  are  undecided  or  ignorant 
as  to  what  they  need  or  want.  As  a 
rule,  they're  willing  to  pay  for  the  argu- 
ment that  convinces  them.  Try  to  dis- 
cover all  their  needs  or  probable  needs, 
and  by  skillful  reasoning  join  them  to 
the  selling  points  of  your  article.  And 
you  may  express  one  need  in  a  hundred 
different  ways,  with  a  hundred  different 
pictures.  Mix  your  brains  with  your  ad- 
vertising. 

Bear  in  mind  that  perhaps  women  do 
the  most  of  retail  buying,  so  train  your 
advertising  to  fall  on  the  right  eyes  and 


,  Jl. 


78 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PA^' 


ears.  Women  as  a  rule  are  more  cu- 
rious than  men,  and  will  more  eagerly 
go  after  a  bargain.  The  mere  appear- 
ance of  goods  interests  them  to  a  great 
degree.  You  can  affect  them  more  eas- 
ily by  primitive  appeals  than  you  can 
men.  At  times,  you  will  do  right  to  be 
a  suffragette  in  advertising — but  do  not 
throw  bombs,  nor  make  too  much  noise. 
Be  a  diplomatic  ad-man. 

Simplicity  appeals  to  some  people,  the 
vj^onderful  to  some,  to  some  the  quan- 
tity, and  to  some  the  aesthetic.  And  so 
it  goes.  Haunt  the  dictionary — and 
utilize  psychology. 

^  When  you  advertise  a  five  dollar  ar- 
ticle, put  five  dollars'  worth  of  appeal 
in  it.^  Some  people  will  be  attracted  by 
a  thing  because  it  is  high-priced,  and 
sonie  the  reverse,  and  these  you  may 
satisfy,  but  the  majority  of  people  want 
an  article  because  it  is  worth  the  money. 
Advertising  is  only  ultimately  success- 
ful if  the  article  and  store  live  up  to  the 
advertisements — let  the  ad-writer  re- 
member this,  and  hold  on  to  himself. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Market  for  Advertising. 

THE  market  for  advertising  and  ad- 
vertising ideas  is  getting  larger  and 
more  definite  every  year.  Manufactur- 
ing establishments,  large  stores — whole- 
sale and  retail — and  other  commercial 
concerns  generally  employ  an  advertis- 
ing or  publicity  manager,  or  else  the 
work  may  be  done  by  the  sales  manager. 
These  large  establishments  are  gener- 
ally up  to  the  latest  in  advertising,  and 
they  pay  good  money  for  it.  But  manu- 
facturers and  others  are  always  delight- 
ed to  get  a  good,  new  idea.  You  could 
not  sell  them  any  ordinary  advertising, 
but  if  you  can  think  up  novel  ideas,  with 
strong  and  impelling  selling  points,  you 
will  be  able  to  dispose  of  them. 

The  advertising  field  offers  various 
odd  and  comfortable  sums  of  money  to 
writers  possessing  a  fair  amount  of 
originality,  energy,  and  ability.  You 
will  not  get  as  much,  per  word,  as  you 
will  in  literary  acceptances  by  maga- 
zines, but  what  you  do  get  will  be  none 
the  less  welcome,  and  if  you  can  furnish 

79 


8o 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


the  right  stuff  you  will  be  in  a  position 
to  earn  good  money.  You  can  make  ad- 
vertising profitable  just  as  a  side  line. 
Incidentally,  advertising  men  are  com- 
manding larger  salaries  every  year. 
Salaries  now  run  in  this  line  from  twen- 
ty-five dollars  a  week  up  into  thou- 
sands a  year,  and  agencies  and  individ- 
uals get  good  money  independently, 
doing  work  for  more  than  one  house. 

Many  concerns  employ  advertising 
agents  to  do  practically  all  of  their  ad- 
vertising— a  good  portion  of  it,  anyway. 
These  agencies  engage  in  all  classes  of 
advertising,  and  not  a  few  of  the  large 
advertising  campaigns  carried  on  over 
the  country  are  their  work.  Most  of 
these  agencies  are  in  the  market  for 
good  advertising  ideas,  and  if  you  have 
any  of  that  class,  you  can  submit  them. 
Just  be  sure,  no  matter  to  whom  you  of- 
fer your  ideas  or  service,  that  you  have 
substantial  ideas,  and  not  vain,  fanciful 
theories.  To  get  the  addresses  of  agen- 
cies, you  can  write  to  the  concerns  for 
whose  goods  your  idea  would  apply,  or 
a  perusal  of  the  advertising  pages  of  a 
business  magazine  like  System  will  re- 
veal many  names. 

Remember    that    up-to-date    cities, 


MAKING    ADVERTISING    PAY 


8i 


factories,  jobbers,  retailers,  agents,  ho- 
tels, and  miscellaneous  enterprises, 
banks,  etc.,  are  concerned  over  getting 
the  best  of  their  competitors  in  the  ad- 
vertising as  well  as  other  lines.  No 
business  man  will  refuse  to  consider  a 
good  idea  or  proposition. 

You  have  a  good  chance  among  the 
stores  of  your  own  town,  especially 
where  competition  is  keen,  and  the  mer- 
chants are  progressive.  Few  retail 
stores  go  to  the  expense  of  hiring  an 
advertising  manager,  and  merchants  of 
this  class  either  prepare  their  own  ad- 
vertising, or  leave  it  to  some  clerk.  In 
most  cases,  none  of  them  know  how  to 
write  very  well.  They  are  unable  to 
tell  the  public  in  the  right  way  of  their 
offerings.  They  are  not  familiar  with 
the  principles  of  real  advertising,  and 
much  of  their  work  is  imitation,  or  oth- 
erwise very  weak  and  prosy,  and  some 
of  it  even  hurts  the  advertiser.  You, 
who  know  the  value  of  words,  and  the 
sense  of  advertising,  can  better  the  mer- 
chant's ads.  Of  course,  you  will  have 
to  get  all  the  dry  facts  and  particulars 
from  him,  and  your  work  consists  in 
presenting  these  in  a  readable  and  pur- 
chase-impelling style. 


82 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


i 


If  you  hit  upon  a  good  plan,  and  suc- 
ceed in  selling  it  in  your  town,  you 
would  have  other  markets  in  other 
towns.  By  referring  to  local  newspa- 
pers you  will  be  able  to  get  the  names 
of  merchants,  banks,  and  other  concerns 
in  various  communities.  No  merchant 
will  object  to  considering  your  plan. 
You  may  either  call  on  him  and  submit 
your  proposition,  or  else  you  may  write 
a  letter.  The  latter  course  will  be  nec- 
essary in  negotiating  with  out  of  town 
prospects.  In  writing  letters  soliciting 
work,  be  careful  and  convincing.  You 
have  a  chance  to  test  your  ability  in  the 
advertising  line — by  advertising  your- 
self. 

Try  to  think  up  some  substantial 
ideas  for  a  series  of  newspaper  ads.,  or 
a  series  of  circulars,  letters,  slogans, 
booklets — in  short,  anything  of  adver- 
tising value.  Or,  put  your  mind  to  work 
along  the  lines  discussed  in  the  chapter 
relating  to  miscellaneous  advertising. 
Do  not  be  afraid  to  suggest  something 
new.  Just  be  sure  it  has  life  in  it,  and 
will  help  sell  goods.  As  an  example  take 
the  seasonable  circular  discussed  in  a 
previous  chapter,  which  was  accepted 
by  a  stationery  store.     You  should  be 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


83 


able  to  get  up  something  of  a  like  na- 
ture. 

Most  any  one  with  writing  ability 
should  be  able  to  furnish  matter  for  the 
average  house  organ  issued.  Refer  to 
Chapter  VI.  and  get  the  information 
clear  in  mind.  In  many  instances  sales 
managers  prepare  these  little  maga- 
zines, and  they  would  be  glad  often  to 
get  some  one  to  furnish  them  with  at 
least  a  portion  of  the  editorial  matter. 

Turn  to  the  chapter  in  this  book, 
"Letters,''  and  note  the  sample  letter 
discussed.  This  letter  was  used  by  a 
wholesaler  on  a  commission  basis.  That 
is,  the  advertising  man  wrote  similar 
letters  to  the  merchant's  old  customers, 
and  on  all  resultant  sales  he  obtained  a 
commission,  which  in  such  cases  is  a 
very  satisfactory  basis  on  which  to 
work.  Why  don't  you  approach  local 
merchants  with  such  a  proposition?  Of- 
fer to  write  individual  letters  to  custom- 
ers who  had  stopped  buying,  or  other 
possible  buyers.  You  simply  write  the 
letters  on  the  firm's  stationery,  and  turn 
them  over  to  be  mailed. 

Advertising  contests  are  numerous 
and  are  good  publicity  agents  for  the 
concern.    In  these  contests  prizes  are  of- 


84 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


fered  for  the  best  slogans,  or  other  ad- 
vertising suggestions.  Announcements 
of  these  contests,  some  of  which  are 
large,  appear  in  the  magazines  and 
newspapers. 

Use  your  head  and  endeavor  to  think 
up  advertising  schemes  which  do  not 
necessarily  entail  writing.  Sometimes 
advertising  will  bring  on  new  possibili- 
ties. Thinking  along  advertising  hnes 
suggested  a  short  story  to  me,  and  it 
found  a  market.  Short  articles  describ- 
ing some  original  and  effective  adver- 
tising ^'stunts"  are  used  by  magazines 
like  System, 

Bear  in  mind  that  if  you  get  even  a 
small  reputation  in  this  Hne,  business 
will  come  easier.  Merchants  for  whom 
you  do  work  will  be  glad  to  recommend 
you.  Men  in  many  cities  make  money 
from  advertising  along  the  Hnes  out- 
lined in  this  chapter,  and  if  you  can  do 
the  work,  you  should  not  have  a  very 
hard  time  in  securing  cHents. 

So,  as  far  as  markets  go,  the  field  is 
rather  wide,  and  you  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  make  good  "pin-money"  once 
you  get  started.  The  work  is  pleasant 
and  easy,  and  is  just  suitable  as  a  side 
line.    In  charging  for  your  services,  be 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


85 


If 


as  moderate  as  possible.  When  in  doubt, 
lower  the  price.  You  can  afford  a  low 
price  at  first.  You  may  work  on  a  sal- 
ary, a  price  per  item,  on  a  particular 
agreement,  or  on  a  commission  basis. 
Local  conditions,  the  work  you  perform, 
and  the  financial  condition  of  the  store 
should  all  figure  in  your  price  estimate. 
It  is  advisable  in  many  new  instances 
to  charge  a  low  price,  merely  to  intro- 
duce yourself  and  to  prove  your  abil- 
ity. Make  a  list  of  the  possible  clients  in 
your  town,  and  start  your  own  cam- 
paign. A  good  many  ad-writers  who 
have  developed  a  good  ability  and  who 
have  secured  a  fair  clientage  do  some 
advertising  for  themselves  in  newspa- 
pers and  magazines. 

You  cannot  have  your  name  appear 
over  your  advertising  work  as  is  done 
in  fiction,  and  it  is  hardly  possible  for 
conditions  to  be  otherwise.  The  rea- 
sons are  obvious.  In  the  first  place, 
the  concern  doing  the  advertising  com- 
pares with  the  author  of  the  story  as  far 
as  names  go.  And  in  a  way  the  name  of 
the  author  of  a  story  is  like  a  trade 
mark  to  an  article  of  merchandise.  A 
story  is  read  for  the  story's  sake,  while 
an  advertisement  is  written  for  the  sake 


l|i 


!l' 


86 


MAKING     A  D  V  E  R  T  I  S  I  N  G     PAY 


of  the  article  or  store,  and  the  most  suc- 
cessful advertisements  are  those  which 
are  so  well  written  as  to  make  the  read- 
er conscious  only  of  the  article  pictured. 
As  far  as  the  writer  knows,  the  only 
man  in  the  country  whose  name  appears 
as  the  author  of  advertisements  is  El- 
bert Hubbard,  and  except  in  rare  cases 
this  happens  only  in  his  two  map^azines, 
The  Fra  and  The  Philistine    This  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  literary  style,  origi- 
nality, and  reputation  of  the  scribe  of 
East  Aurora  make  his  name  of  real  ad- 
vertising   value.      Besides    which,    the 
subscribers  to  his  pubHcations  seem  to 
have  such  a  peculiar  faith  in  the  editor 
that  they  accept  almost  as  gospel  what 
he  says.     If  Theodore  Roosevelt  pub- 
licly proclaimed  a  predilection  for  a  spe- 
cial brand  of  collars,  for  instance,  the 
national  sales  of  that  collar  would  won- 
derfully increase.    More  than  one  manu- 
facturer reaUzes  this  kind  of  advertising 
advantage,     and     get     opinions     from 
prominent  men  to  appear  in  their  adver- 
tising.    Anyway,  unless  you  become  a 
national  celebrity,  your  name  will  not 
prove  of  advertising  value. 

Speaking  of  names,  if  you  wish  to  get 
some  good  pointers  on  ad-writing,  you 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


87 


would  do  well  to  study  Hubbard's  work 
in  this  Hne,  as  well  as  study  the  general 
tone  and  method  of  the  advertising  ap- 
pearing in  the  various  magazines  and 
newspapers.  And  when  you  try  your 
hand,  do  not  imitate.  Get  all  the  ideas 
possible  from  the  work  of  others,  but 
see  that  those  ideas  evolve  into  original 
effects.    The  ability  to  do  this  is  a  great 

asset. 

Remember  that  you  should  practice 
considerably  before  trying  your  hand. 
Practice  is  good  in  all  kinds  of  writing. 
This  point  cannot  be  stressed  too 
strongly.  Just  keep  everlastingly  at  it 
— revising  and  analyzing  your  own  prac- 
tice work.  Try  to  rewrite  some  adver- 
tisements you  see. 

You  must  acquire  a  good  knowledge 
of  business.  Many  writers  are  sadly 
lacking  in  this  branch  of  knowledge. 
Read  constantly  a  business  magazine  of 
the  nature  of  System  and  keep  in  touch 
with  the  latest  things  and  progress  in 
business.  In  this  way  you  will  come 
across  a  good  many  handy  points.  Keep 
in  touch  with  industrial  conditions. 
There  are  several  books  on  the  subject 
of  advertising,  and  several  magazines 
devoted  to  it.    Keep  up  to  date. 


88 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


Some  concerns  might  wish  you  to  re- 
vise their  advertising  for  them.  You 
will  not  find  this  hard,  and  if  done  prop- 
erly will  give  you  better  chances  of  sell- 
ing your  own  product.  Besides  which, 
it  is  good  practice.  Many  printing  and 
Hthographing  houses  employ  advertis- 
ing men  to  write  up  booklets  and  cata- 
logues for  customers,  as  many  of  the  lat- 
ter are  glad  to  avail  themselves  of  this 
expert  service. 

If  you  will  apply  the  main  principles 
set  forth  in  this  Httle  volume,  and  if  you 
will  take  pains  to  understand  what  you 
try  to  do,  there  is  no  reason  why  you 
should  not  be  able  to  hold  down  an  ad- 
vertising position.  Just  see  that  you 
know  what  you're  about. 

As  in  fiction,  a  knowledge  of  human 
nature  is  essential  for  really  good  work. 
Man's  nature  manifests  itself  nowhere 
so  prominently  as  when  he  spends  his 
money,  and  gives  up  that  which  repre- 
sents the  resources  he  commands  in  pre- 
serving himself. 

Advertising  need  not  interfere  with 
your  efforts  in  other  writing  work,  and 
it  should  help.  And  if  you  don't  mind 
trying  until  you  get  started,  you  can 
pick  up  many  odd  and  regular  sums  of 


MAKING     ADVERTISING     PAY 


89 


money,  and  some  day  a  single  idea  may 
net  you  a  small  fortune — it  has  been 
done! 


<3 


The  Artoz-Photoplay  Wmting 

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Scmnario  Editor  Thm  North  American  Film  Company 
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THE  HANNIS  JORDAN  CO„Pnblishers 

32  Umq  Sqaarc,  East,  New  York  Ctj 


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